Tamale: The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), a non-governmental organization, has launched an orientation workshop to kickstart its leadership and mentorship programme for young women in the Northern Region. The workshop, conducted in Tamale, is part of SWIDA-Ghana's flagship initiative, the Female Leadership and Mentorship Academy.
According to Ghana News Agency, the programme is designed to empower young women to become assertive and courageous leaders, prepared to seize opportunities at both community and national levels. Marking its fifth edition, the Academy is organized under the Women's Voices and Leadership programme, sponsored by Plan International Ghana and Global Affairs Canada. The event saw the participation of approximately 120 young women from across the region, who took part in the orientation session to ready themselves for the three-month programme.
The initiative includes pairing mentees with mentors who will offer periodic counseling, coaching, motivation, and mentorship to facilitate their leadership, career, and personal development. The event gathered both mentors and mentees, including past beneficiaries who shared their experiences on how the programme had positively influenced their personal and professional growth.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, addressed the participants, emphasizing that the initiative is structured to maximize leadership potential and advocacy skills, enabling young women to actively contribute to community and national development. She highlighted the importance of achieving Sustainable Development Goal five, aimed at gender equality and women's empowerment by 2030, and noted that strategic coaching and mentorship platforms like the Academy are crucial to this endeavor.
Hajia Sagito-Saeed urged the mentees to take advantage of the opportunity to build their leadership capacity, empowering them to advocate for vulnerable and underrepresented groups within their communities. Mrs. Beilawu Issah, from the Northern Regional Department of Social Welfare and a mentor in the programme, stressed the significance of female leadership in national development and encouraged mentees to engage earnestly with the programme.
Madam Malchan Issah, a past beneficiary, recounted how the initiative had bolstered her confidence and improved her leadership and advocacy skills. Meanwhile, Miss Pagnaa Issah, a current mentee, expressed her excitement for the programme and her eagerness to enhance her leadership potential.
The Female Leadership and Mentorship Academy continues to serve as a beacon of hope, equipping young women with the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to lead change in their communities and beyond.
