LeadAfrique International was privileged to be contracted by the founder of the Leading Ladies Network, Madam Yawa Hansen-Qauo (Leading Ladies’ Network is a non-profit organisation that nurtures, trains and serve as a resource base for women and girls to enhance their development as leaders for positive social change) and her team to organise camp for 59 girls (59 students from 11 JHS schools and 1 SHS school) from various communities from the Ga North Municipality of Ghana.
The camp dubbed the Girls Governance Camp, under the GA North Progress Mayors Fund (GNPMF) is with the purpose of cultivating and supporting the social and economic development of the Ga North Municipality of Ghana, specifically girls and women. It took place at the Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training College- Mampong Campus on the 30th May to 1st June 2019.
The girls were each provided with workbooks to journal their learning and map their leadership journeys. Participants were also grouped and assigned a chaperone to enable close collaboration, norming and forming.
The girls in leadership positions from the St. Johns Senior High School, Amansaman Senior High School and other Junior High Schools in the Ga North Municipality benefited from this life transforming project. The mode of selection was targeted for 25 girls in current leadership positions and potential girls’ leaders in the respective schools.
The camp which was residential and had a well-structured programme which included the facilitation of some of these topics of interest, social and emotional skills, communication and organisational skills self-management skills and life – long learning skills.
As a leading learning organisation, we took the organisation of this camp as a top priority like other camps, we are passionate about grooming the young ones with leadership skills to empower them and be inspired for greatness wherever they find themselves of leaders.
On the first night of the camp, participants were led to agree on how to live cordially, know themselves and the schedule for the camp. They agreed to self-regulate themselves with the following codes of cooperation;
The next two days of camp the girls were taken through various topics and sessions with women mentors and a trip to the Parliament House.
On personal hygiene and table manners, Madam Letitia Ohene-Effah, Co-Founder of LeadAfrique International, took this session and supported these students on personal hygiene and basic table manners. As young women they were taught the essence of self- care and how to present themselves well before people, as this also contributes to building up their self-worth and confidence.
Mr Michael Ohene-Effah, Co-Founder of LeadAfrique International, also engaged the girls in a goal setting session. He guided the participants to plan for the next 10 years of their lives. They were also supported to come up with signs that show how close they are to their dreams. A day was set aside as “Governance Day”. They a tour to the office of the Head of the Civil Service to experience and have a deeper understanding of the governance processes in Ghana
Participants were met by Bridget Kwao, journalist and a member of the Public Relations team when they paid a visit to the Parliament House. The participants had a chance to witness a live parliamentary sitting and were later briefed by Honourables Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie (MP, Ablekuma North), Benito Owusu Bio (Deputy Minister, Lands and Natural Resources) and Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah (Deputy Minister, Health). These honourable MPs advised the students to be hardworking, persevere and to take their academics serious as this puts them a step closer to their dreams.
Participants were guided by Shamima Muslim, ace broadcast journalist and President of the Association of Women in the Media, as they took turns to practise their public presentation skills.
Ms Wendy Laryea, news anchor at TV3 told the girls. She supported the girls on how to take care of themselves when menstruating as well as some helpful practices that can reduce, if not, alleviate menstrual cramps.’
The last night of the camp featured khebabs, sausages, drinks and a light-hearted discussion on “WHY IS GHANA POOR?” Participants really displayed a good understanding of Ghana’s development challenges and offered solutions. A summary of their submissions were as follows;
- Lack of visionary leaders.
- We have a mis- managed economy.
- Lack of effective monitoring and supervision in companies.
- Ghanaians don’t like to think scientifically.
- Africa is poor because of bad educational system; it is all theory-based and not practical.
- Ghanaians think everything the white man makes is superior.
- Ghana is poor because of our negative attitude to work