Samira Bawumia exhorts young girls to attain higher heights
The wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Samira Bawumia, has urged young women not to let fear impede their dream of attaining higher heights. She asked them to work hard and persevere in order to attain their goals to become successful personalities who would inspire others.
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Mrs Bawumia was speaking at the opening of the 2017 'Story of our Lives Conference,' a programme organised by the Mentoring For Youth Development Foundation (MENFYD FOUNDATION), a non-profit organisation that mentors female students and young people to strive to achieve their vision.
Foundation
MENFYD FOUNDATION was founded in 2015 by the first-ever female to be appointed physician to a sitting President of Ghana, Dr Bettina Boohene-Andah.
Through the 'Story of our Lives conference' which was started in 2015, the organisation uses practical mentorship strategies where women who have become established in society share their experiences with younger women.
During the conference, women who have chalked up successes in various fields of mentorship share with the mentees their struggles and encourage the young women by emphasising the fact that hard work, determination and dedication yield positive results.
Technology
Using her life as an example, Mrs Bawumia urged the girls to press on in spite of life's challenges, saying “we can overcome the hurdles in our lives and make use of our experiences to help others.”
She urged them to take advantage of technological advancement and globalisation and not abuse it.
“We are in a lucky era with the advancement of technology and globalisation. We can see how leaders are shaping the world. We must take action to thrive and not allow technology to destroy us by focusing on the good materials available and leaving the bad,” she said.
She cited her role in the political period of the past eight years of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) struggle for power and said: “I do not consider it as a waste of time.
I picked up lessons which have enhanced my life.”
Project
In a welcome address, the founder of the MENFYD Foundation, Dr Boohene-Andah ,said the ‘Story of our lives project’ was to impact the lives of young people positively.
She said the project, which was a biennial project, would be extended to institutions of higher learning for young ladies as they prepared for the world of work.
This year, she said participants who were between the ages of 18 and 25, were from five universities who would also mentor other young girls from senior high school level.
Responsibilities
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Otiko Djaba, urged young women to be responsible in their actions.
In a keynote address, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Whitaker Group, Mrs Rosa Whitaker Duncan-Williams, said the decisions and actions that young people took today would determine whether they would rise or fall.
