By Joyce Kantam Kolamong
Plan International Ghana has conducted a field trip for selected journalists from Northern Ghana to its operational communities to witness firsthand the impact of its interventions in education, water, sanitation, hygiene, and other areas.
The trip took the team to Sagadugu No. 1 and 2, and Mimima—all in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region—where transformative projects have significantly improved the lives of children and their communities.
At Sagadugu No. 1 and 2, the team observed the impact of Plan International Ghana’s child sponsorship programme, which has benefited about 636 sponsored children. They also visited a limited mechanised water system constructed by the organisation, which has improved access to clean water in the community. Additionally, the community members expressed appreciation for the household latrines and a girl-friendly latrine built by the organisation. According to residents, these facilities have promoted good hygiene among girls and contributed to overall improvements in sanitation.
The team also learned about the organisation’s efforts to promote community-based structures, including School Health Clubs, Natural Leaders, Water Sanitation Management Teams (WSMTs), and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). Journalists later interacted with members of the “REAL Fathers” club, which promotes positive parenting and aims to reduce violence against children.
The Chief of Guabulga, Salifu Mahama Tampuri, expressed gratitude for the “SHE LEADS” project, noting that it has empowered girls to assume leadership roles and has helped reduce early marriage and teenage pregnancy. He called for continued support to enable girls to pursue their academic journeys.
“When we provide these interventions and they get to senior high school, some of them come out with good results. But advancing to the next stage becomes a problem because their parents cannot support them, and that is where I get worried,” he lamented.
Mathilda Rubabatu Manlokia, a 31-year-old beneficiary of the SHE LEADS project, shared her story of empowerment in an exclusive interview with GBCNEWS. She commended Plan International Ghana for the life-changing project that enabled her to secure employment with Songtaba as a Project Officer in the North East Region. She currently manages about 200 girls across six clubs in the region.
“If parents push their girls to marriage, it limits them to achieve greater heights so I urge parents not to limit their daughters to the kitchen,” she advised.
“Oh Plan International until we are all equal. I am super proud because if not for Plan International, by now I would have been limited to the kitchen,” Miss Manlokia added, beaming with pride.
At Mimima, the team visited the second cohort of the Alternative Learning Programme (ALP) for out-of-school children. At the time of the visit, 28 learners—17 females and 11 males—were being taught basic literacy and numeracy in Mampruli. Project Coordinator for the Ghana Education Outcome Project (GEOP), Abdulai Abdallah, explained that the learners will transition into formal schooling after nine months.
“The way this project is run, parents are not required to buy teaching and learning materials, yours is to commit yourself and enroll your ward onto the programme. From books, pencils, eraser, everything is provided by the project, so parents who otherwise could not enroll their children because of lack of these learning materials have taken interest. The buy-in rate for this project is very high and parents have seen that when their children transition to formal school, we don’t leave them there,” he stated.
GBCNEWS also spoke with 11-year-old Magdalena John, a participant in the first ALP cohort, who is now in Class Six at Mimima D/A Primary School. Smiling brightly, she told reporters she hopes to become a doctor in the future.
The team further visited the newly established SPAD Adolescent Drop-in Center at Mimima, designed to provide a safe and inclusive space for adolescents to learn, grow, and develop leadership skills. The center will offer comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights education, as well as governance and civic education.
The field trip showcased Plan International Ghana’s commitment to improving the lives of children and communities in Northern Ghana. The organisation’s multifaceted interventions continue to make a significant and lasting impact.
