A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Aminu Initiative Ghana, has launched an education-oriented programme to provide young girls with mentorship and leadership opportunities.
The initiative focuses on empowering the girl child and seeks to create a platform where young girls can identify, pursue and achieve their dreams through mentorship.
Based at Nima in Accra, the NGO’s main aim is to reduce educational deficits and empower underprivileged children, youth, and communities.
The initiative was launched in Accra last Wednesday on the theme: “Empowering her future: leadership, mentorship and possibilities”.
Among those present at the launch were the Director of Aminu Initiative Ghana, Ayuba Mamadu Mohammed; the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eco-Me Africa, Amdiya Abdul-Latiff; a representative of the Ayawaso East Municipal Education Directorate, Joyce Amina Awudu; and students selected from some schools in the municipality.
Leadership
At the launch of the initiative, the Ayawaso East Municipal Director of Education, Dr William Tsekpo, whose speech was read on his behalf by Ms Awudu, encouraged students to embrace leadership opportunities and take up leadership roles.
He entreated them to believe in their capabilities and continually develop their skills as they pursued their ambitions.
Dr Tsekpo added that leadership started from childhood and that taking one’s education seriously was an important step towards becoming a good leader.
“Leadership does not suddenly appear. It starts much earlier. It starts as a child and when you begin to take your education seriously,” the Ayawaso East Municipal Education Director said.
Mentorship
The Director of Aminu Ghana Initiative said the initiative sought to empower junior high school girls with skills, confidence and the support needed to become good leaders in their community and the country at large.
Mr Mohammed said the foundation believed in the potential of the girl-child and affirmed the initiative’s commitment to creating an environment where young girls could thrive and achieve their aspirations.
“The Aminu Initiative Girl Leadership and Mentorship Programme is not just a programme.
It is a statement that we believe in the potential of our girls, and we are committed to creating an environment where they can thrive,” the director explained.
He further disclosed that the students would undergo a 12-module leadership programme over six weeks to cover areas such as financial literacy, digital safety, menstrual health and project design.
Innovation
Delivering the keynote address, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eco- Me Africa, Amdiya Abdul-Latiff, admonished the students to become problem solvers.
She said the world was in an era where innovation and entrepreneurship had become significant, and urged them to leverage the opportunities and become innovators.
“You can be in any of the professions and attach entrepreneurship.
You have to find solutions to problems.
You can be a doctor. Look around the hospital and find other problems that you can develop entrepreneurship out of.
That is where the money is,” Ms Abdul-Latiff highlighted.
