CARE International in Ghana celebrates National Service graduates, welcomes new cohort

CARE International in Ghana held a special ceremony at its Accra office to honor ten outgoing National Service Persons (NSPs) while welcoming a new group of nineteen for the 2024/25 service year. 

The event underscored CARE’s commitment to nurturing young talent through hands-on experience, capacity building, and mentorship within the fields of health, education, and economic development.

The Country Director of CARE International in Ghana, Rose Tchwenko, expressed her appreciation for the departing NSPs’ dedication and contributions. 

“Our outgoing personnel have left a positive mark on CARE Ghana. I am proud of all you’ve accomplished and look forward to seeing you continue as ambassadors for our mission,” she said. Tchwenko also announced an upcoming initiative, the CARE Alumni Community, aimed at supporting former NSPs in their professional growth and networking.

The Guest of honour Osei Assibey Antwi, Director General of the National Service Authority (NSA), praised CARE’s efforts in youth development. “The work of CARE Ghana reflects NSA’s vision to develop the next generation of leaders,” he said, emphasizing NSA’s mission to equip young Ghanaians with valuable professional skills. This year, the NSA has mobilized approximately 150,000 graduates across various sectors, supporting Ghana’s development and saving around GH¢3 billion in wage costs.

For years, CARE International has provided National Service personnel with practical roles across its programs, including areas like gender equality and economic empowerment. These placements offer young Ghanaians the chance to gain experience in developmental work, building both skills and insights that help strengthen the nation’s workforce.

Youth employability remains a key focus for CARE Ghana, with Tchwenko underscoring how these opportunities help young people prepare for long-term career success. Head of Programmes and Humanitarian at CARE Ghana, Zakaria Yakubu, advised the incoming NSPs to approach every experience as an opportunity to grow. "Take every experience here as an opportunity to broaden your skills and perspectives,” he said, emphasizing the value of resilience in their roles.

The event featured an experience-sharing session where outgoing NSPs reflected on their time with CARE, offering advice to the incoming cohort. To close the ceremony, the departing service members were presented with farewell gifts as tokens of appreciation for their service.

With over 30 years in Ghana, CARE International has reached millions globally through programs focused on health, education, food security, and economic development, with a particular focus on empowering women and girls to lift families and communities out of poverty. In 2024, CARE worked in 121 countries, impacting 53 million people across 1,450 projects.