CARD Ghana trains patrons and mentors on sustaining She Leads girls clubs

The Community Aid for Rural Development (CARD Ghana) has organized a capacity-building training for patrons and mentors of She Leads Girls Clubs in Wa.

The training, held on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, brought together 18 participants drawn from six senior high schools and four project communities where the clubs operate.

The session focused on leadership and management practices, coaching and mentoring, as well as sustainability planning to ensure that the clubs remain functional as the She Leads project gradually comes to a close.

The clubs operate in Wa Technical Institute, Wa Senior High, Wa Senior High Technical, Jamiat Islamic Girls Senior High, T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High, and Islamic Senior High Schools, as well as Chegli, Kperisi, Nakori-Chansa, and Sagu communities.

Ms. Ernestina Biney, Acting Executive Director of CARD Ghana, explained that the training was meant to prepare patrons and mentors to continue guiding the girls beyond the lifespan of the project.

“Our agenda is for these girls to understand and realize their leadership potentials and to make an impact wherever they find themselves,” she said.

She emphasized that every girl is a leader and urged patrons to instill confidence, boldness, and self-belief in the young girls under their mentorship.

Mr. Victor Elikplim Nuworkpor, Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), who led sessions on leadership, management, coaching, and mentorship, highlighted the difference between coaching and mentoring and the values leaders must embody.

“As a leader, you must have patience, courage, and tolerance,” he noted, adding that mentorship should be seen as a lifelong commitment to shaping the values and potential of young people.

Participants expressed their excitement at the knowledge gained and their commitment to ensuring continuity.

Ms. Hedahiatu Yahaya, mentor for T.I. Amass SHS Club, described the training as impactful and said it had given her fresh insights on sustaining the clubs and nurturing younger girls even from the basic school level.

Madam Zenabu Abdulai, patron of Islamic SHS in Wa, pledged to continue sustaining the club in her school, noting that her motherly relationship with students had already drawn many girls to join.

She said the club would continue beyond the project, supported by collaboration with mentors and proper alignment with the school calendar.

The She Leads Project, implemented in the Upper West Region by CARD Ghana in partnership with Plan International Ghana, seeks to increase the sustained influence of girls and young women in leadership and decision-making processes within formal and informal spaces.