The hope education project team
Mariama Adam - Programs Director
Mariama Adam is the Programs Director of the Hope Education Project (HEP) and a leading practitioner in community-based anti-trafficking education in Northern Ghana.
She led delivery the 2025 HEP pilot across Tamale’s junior high schools and led the rollout of the SOMA girls’ empowerment program in Gbolo Kpalsi. Her work has directly shaped how young people in the region learn about human trafficking, rights, online safety, and self-protection.
As a multilingual communicator fluent in Dagbani, English, and Twi, Mariama brings a deep understanding of the cultural and social dynamics that shape girls’ and young people’s lives in northern communities. She has become a trusted educator in schools, at community gatherings, within women’s groups, and across diverse faith settings. Her strength lies in taking complex issues – migration, exploitation, digital risk, consent, family pressure – and making them understandable and relevant to young audiences who may have limited literacy.
Before joining HEP, Mariama built a strong foundation in project leadership through roles with Theatre for Social Change, CAMFED Ghana, and the Child Liberty Foundation. She has managed field teams, trained facilitators, designed monitoring tools, and built partnerships with local institutions. These experiences now inform her work at HEP, where she blends structure, creativity, and deep community insight.
In 2025, Mariama co-led the development of the SOMA Initiative, a low-cost, high-impact empowerment model built around peer leadership, emotional resilience, sexual and reproductive health education, and digital safety. The model has already demonstrated early behaviour change among adolescent girls, and Mariama continues to shape its next phase with community mentors and local stakeholders.
Known for her calm authority, her integrity, and her ability to create safe spaces for girls, Mariama is a natural leader and a committed lifelong learner. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the International Open University in The Gambia. Her work is driven by a belief that when girls and young people are equipped with knowledge and confidence, they become powerful protectors of themselves, their peers, and their communities.
Wunzooya - Survivor Advocate
Wunzooya is a survivor advocate with the Hope Education Project based in Tamale, Northern Ghana. In 2014, she was trafficked from Tamale to Saudi Arabia for labour exploitation. Since returning home, Wunzooya has worked steadily to rebuild her life, reconnect with her family, and pursue her education. She is now married, raising her children, and studying for a degree in Child Psychology at university.
As part of the Hope Education Project team, Wunzooya shares her lived experience to raise awareness about trafficking risks in her community. She plays a vital role in delivering survivor testimonies during community sessions and advising on local program implementation. Wunzooya’s growing confidence and leadership have made her a powerful advocate for vulnerable women and girls in Tamale. Her commitment to storytelling, community education, and supporting other survivors exemplifies the spirit of resilience and hope that underpins the Hope Education Project’s mission to disrupt human trafficking at it’s source.