Five students launch community development project to work towards four SDGs
Five final-year students of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana (UG), Legon, have launched a community development project to work towards the attainment of four goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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They are Mr Emmanuel Akrong, Miss Alberta Wolanyo Agordzo, Mr Micheal Annor Darko, Miss Eirene Binabiba and Miss Alberta Larbi-Amoah.
The Four SDGs to be tackled under the project are Goals 3, 4, 6, and 8, which respectively relate to promoting good health and well-being, quality education, water and decent work and economic growth.
This year, the project, which forms part of the curriculum activities required to complete academic work at the institution, would be implemented in four regions in the country, namely Volta, Greater Accra, Eastern and Northern.
In separate presentations at the launch of the Theatre for Development Project in Accra last Monday, each of the students gave an overview of what she or he would do under the project.
Quality education
For his part, Mr Darko, who will operate in the Eastern Region, under a project entitled, “Little learning is a dangerous thing” is expected to enlighten the people on the essence of education, and as a way of addressing the Goal 4 of the SDGs, which focuses on quality education, he would operate in communities, namely Asamang Ketewa, Owiredu, Asuorkor, Lapkpa and Nsutam.
Similarly, Miss Agordzo, through her project, has plans to solicit funds to help inculcate the habit of reading in children by providing textbooks and other books needed in the basic school.
Miss Agordzo said the project was expected to take place at EP Basic School and Municipal Assembly Junior High School at Alavanyo Wudidi in the Volta Region.
Sanitation
In a presentation, Mr Akrong said his project, “Cleanliness for all” would target the Legon community to create awareness and to help improve sanitation of the Legon campus in Greater Accra.
“The Goal 6 of the SDGs focuses on clean water and sanitation availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and this is what I want to achieve at the end of the project,” he said.
Decent work
According to Miss Binabiba, who is committed to addressing Goal 8 of the SDGs, research had proven that two out of every five females in the Saboba District in the Northern Region had either dropped out of school and were idle or were home bearing children at a very young age with no skill.
Goal 8 of the SDGs focuses on the availability of decent works and sustained economic growth which is to promote inclusive and productive employment for all.
She said her project dubbed “Learn a skill, earn a living” sought to train young women in vocational education such as sewing, basketry and hair-making.
Gender-related issues
Also, Miss Larbi-Amoah underscored the need to educate the youth on reproductive health and issues related to gender, noting that the creation of gender awareness and addressing its related issues were in line with Goal 3 of the SDGs which ensures healthy living and promotes well-being for all.
Giving an overview of her project, she said it would assist adolescents in understanding a positive view of sexuality, provide them with information and skills on the need to take care of their reproductive health, adding that the project was to start from second cycle institutions in the Eastern Region.
Dondology
In an interview the Supervisor of the project, Mr Abdul Karim Hakib, said the launch of the theatre for development project was to correct the wrong perception about the nature of the course.
He said the reading of Bachelor of Fine Arts was not only about drumming and dancing, popularly known to the public as ‘dondology’, adding that the department was also involved in the development of the nation.
He said he was optimistic that the students through formal steps such as mobilisation, sensitisation and implementation, would be able to contribute their quota to the development of the country.