Empowering Girl Students in Ghana

Objective:  Visit Ashongman Presby Basic School and resume the empowering girl’s project. The project will begin with having school elections for the formation of the teen club for the educational sessions of students. 

Date: Friday May 17th, 2024 & Friday May 24th, 2024.

Venue:  Anshongman Basic School, Ashongman

ACTIVITIES 

Initial introduction meeting - Friday, May 17th, 2024 

10am – 11am: School Visit and Introductions

The team arrived at 10am. Today was a visit to set a plan going forward for the implementation of the merged Empowering Girls project implemented by AFAWI at the Ashongman Presby Basic School with the headmaster, Isaac, of the first school and the girls guide leader, Beneditta.

Emma and Hannah as new interns, were also introduced to the headmaster and girl’s guide leader. 

Jennifer went onto discuss the plan moving forward. An initial session will be held with the students where the teen club leaders will be relected and the teen club will be re-structured. Beneditta (Girls Guide leader) agreed with Jennifer to hold the elections for the student’s teen club on the following Friday (24th) at 1pm. The elections set the basis for the successful set up of the teen club. The teen club is used as a structure to hold the educational sessions, counselling and peer education training of trainers. After the (re-)set up of the teen club. Following Fridays would be used to conduct the educational sessions with presentations led by the AFAWI team. An curriculum therefore will be prepared by the AFAWI team. Beneditta agreed to inform students to prepare their speeches and be ready for Friday, 24th of May. 

Emma and Hannah were then given a tour of the school and introduced to some of the students. 

The team departed at 11am. 

Teen Club Elections - Friday, May 24th , 2024

1.30pm-3pm: Teen Club Elections

The team arrived at 1.30pm. 

Julietta (girls guide leader) gathered all the students that would be taking part into a classroom. Julietta was leading the session. The teen club consists of 52 students, 30 girls and 22 boys. 

The session started with AFAWI as the implementor to the students. Julietta then ran through what the teen club is (educational sessions, counselling, training of trainers for students) and what we would be doing today - the elections. 

To start the elections, the students were asked which positions clubs usually have. They managed to list all the positions, president, vice-president, organiser, treasurer, and secretary. Following this a brief explanation of each position was given and then the students were able to nominate themselves.

Students who were nominating themselves were required to stand up. We tried to get and even number of girls and boys within each category. Each position had between 4-6 people running. The students were then required to vote. All positions had 1 winner bar the organiser where it was decided we would have 2 as there is quite a few students within the teen club to organise. 

Everyone was clapped for, and all winners were given certificates. Those that won the positions are as follows:

President: Wonder 

Vice-President: Emmanuela 

Treasurer: Comfort 

Secretary: Sylvia

Organiser: Jessica  & Gador 

Each winner spoke to the classroom, telling their classmates their names, thank you and the position they are. 

Students were asked if they had any questions, they did not and they were dismissed. Julietta then discussed with team what was next. Starting the string of presentations will be the next activity. The team would be in touch to arrange a start date which will probably be in the next couple of weeks.  

At 3pm the team departed. 

Summary, Way Forward 

The activities were conducted very successfully, and the school is very excited and grateful. Due to the good relations of AFAWI with the school, the implementation of the activities started smoothly without any obstacles. The stakeholders are informed about the new collaboration. The teen club was successfully re-formed. The student leaders were re-elected, and with this a first activity was conducted which is targeted at empowering students as future leaders. AFAWI notices with excitement that four girls were elected by the students into leading positions. The AFAWI team is now preparing the educational sessions and will start with the educational sessions in ca. three week’s time. The AFAWI team has furthermore started to reach out to Days for Girls Ghana to path the way for the purchasing of the reusable sanitary pads. 

Links:

• More Infos here