Hope Education Project: Ghana Update – November 2024
Greetings from Tamale, Ghana! This month has been a whirlwind of activity and growth for the Hope Education Project (HEP) as we prepare for our pilot projects in early 2025. Here’s a glimpse into life on the ground and the exciting progress we’ve made.
Settling Into Gbolo Kplasi
I’ve finally moved into my new home in Gbolo Kplasi, a northern suburb of Tamale and close to one of our pilot schools. Living in a shared compound with five families has been a humbling and eye-opening experience. Despite my efforts to live like a local, the heat defeated me—I installed air conditioning! However, challenges persist, like a 10-day water shortage that had us relying on well water.
Life in the compound revolves around family and community, and gender roles are distinct. Girls manage domestic chores while boys gather by the roadside or play football. The lives of adolescents here are guided by Islamic teachings, with an emphasis on reading and reciting the Quran. While girls play Ampe in small groups, they have fewer social outlets outside school. These daily interactions have deepened my understanding of the vulnerabilities children face and affirmed my decision to live among those we serve.
Establishing Our Office
We’ve secured a shared office with Think Education, an NGO that mentors private school administrators. The space includes a large yard for events and a hall for our upcoming out-of-school girls’ group sessions. The office setup is family-friendly, allowing Mariama Adam, our local Projects Manager, to bring her youngest child to work.
With a strong WiFi connection, Mariama is now actively assisting with research projects. Her expertise in community mobilization and deep connections with local leaders have been invaluable. A Dagbani speaker with years of experience as the local director of Theater for Social Change, Mariama will co-lead our pilot project sessions alongside a former colleague.
Watch the HEP November 2024 update (4 mins 30 secs)
Preparing for the Pilot Project
In February 2025, we’ll launch our five-week pilot project, working with three junior high schools in Northern Ghana:
- St. Paul’s JHS in the Gumbihini community.
- Bagabaga Annex JHS in the Sagnarigu community.
- Darrul Haddis JHS in the New Gbolo community.
This month, Mariama and I visited each school to meet with the Head Teachers and teacher patrons assigned to the project. Together, we finalized timetables and logistics for the school-based sessions. The warm reception from the school staff – and the enthusiasm of the students – reaffirmed the importance of this initiative and the excitement surrounding its launch.
Engaging Out-of-School Girls
We also reconnected with young weavers and tailors in the Dimala community, where we conducted human trafficking research in 2023. These girls, currently serving unpaid apprenticeships, participated in a focus group where we showcased a Dagbani-translated and re-enacted version of our human trafficking awareness video.
Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The girls found the video informative and engaging, and it will serve as a cornerstone for our out-of-school group sessions. Additionally, we’ve added a Dagbani explainer podcast to the front page of our website, ensuring the message reaches a broader audience.
Click images to expand gallery
Looking Ahead
Living in the community has been one of the best decisions for HEP, allowing us to build trust and better understand the realities faced by those we serve. Mariama and I are energized and eager to deliver the pilot project in February.
The enthusiastic reception of our Dagbani-translated video has strengthened our resolve to expand the out-of-school girls’ program to other communities. With further funding, we aim to build capacity in other NGOs and scale up this critical work in 2025.
Together, we are making strides to empower young people in Northern Ghana and create safer, more informed communities.
