A total number of 1,300 Senior High School girls from the Upper East and Upper West Region respectively who received support from the Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) Ghana were on Wednesday graduated and inducted into the membership of Camfed alumnae (Cama).
Cama is a network of over 5,643 young girls in 22 districts, 3 municipalities and a metropolis in Northern, Central, Upper East and Upper West region respectively who have benefited from Camfed’s scholarships and are united by a commitment to develop themselves.
At a colorful ceremony to mark the induction of the girls into the network, the beneficiaries pledged to reinvest the benefits derived from the organization into their communities. The young girls who received financial support during their Senior High School level said had it not been the intervention of Camfed they would have been drop-outs by now.
They therefore expressed their gratitude to the organization for the support. Many of the young women who spoke to A1 Radio pledged to assist their community schools by way of teaching in order to help reduce poverty in the communities.
Executive Director of Camfed Ghana, Delores Dickson in her welcome address said the induction ceremony is aimed at providing guidance to the young women on career and life choices as they enter another phase of life.
According to Mrs. Dickson members of the network have the opportunity to apply for and be selected as Cama ambassadors. The Cama ambassadors are given capacity building training and groomed to be able to represent the network at local, national and international fora.
Encouraging the inductees to take advantage of the Cama network, Mrs. Dickson said members of the network also receive opportunities such as post-secondary education, business and entrepreneurship development to access various programs across the world.
Professor Agnes Atia Apusigah, Dean, Faculty of Education, University for Development Studies-Tamale who was the guest speaker called on the young girls to prepare to face challenges in life in order to help reduce poverty and diseases in their communities and the country at large. Prof. Apusigah entreated them to make good use of the internet to better off their lives.
The theme for this years’ graduation was “unleashing the potential of young women, inspiring change”.
Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Daniel Syme during the ceremony articulated that women play a critical role in the development of the nation that is why government has placed a high premium on education and development of women.
Mr. Syme added that aside the creation of the girl’s education unit under Ghana Education Service, government has supplied free school uniforms and books for the needy children in the country.
The minister while commending Camfed for the intervention in education sector assured of government’s continues support to well meaning organizations to complement government’s effort to enhance access to quality education for all Ghanaians.
By: Joshua Asaah | A1Radioonline.com | Ghana
