Young women in the Northern Region are being positioned to take up leadership roles and drive social change as ActionAid Ghana and its partners intensify efforts to nurture feminist leadership at the grassroots level.
At the heart of this effort is the TuWezeshe Akina Dada Leadership Programme, a young women’s leadership initiative being implemented by ActionAid Ghana in collaboration with FORWARD UK and TuWezeshe Global.
The programme, whose name translates as “Empowering Our Sisters” in Swahili, focuses on building the confidence, skills, and activism of young women to address gender-based violence and promote women’s participation in community decision-making.
Targeting women aged 18 to 35, the programme combines leadership training, mentorship, self-care, and the implementation of community-based social action projects aimed at creating lasting change.
The launch in Tamale also served as a reflection point, as fellows from the first cohort shared lessons and outcomes from projects they implemented in their communities, while mentors engaged with a new group of participants joining the programme.
Northern Regional Manager of ActionAid Ghana, Madam Beatrice Yanman Biije, said the growing number of participants underscores rising interest in women’s leadership at the community level. She disclosed that the first cohort trained 21 women, with 23 young women enrolled in the second cohort.
She explained that beyond training, the programme provides financial and technical support to fellows to design and implement projects addressing issues they identify within their own communities.
“We do not leave the fellows on their own after training. They are supported with mentorship and resources to ensure their ideas translate into real action,” Madam Biije said.
Executive Director of GO FORWARD UK, Naana Otoo-Oyortey, noted that the programme deliberately targets young women who are already showing leadership potential or aspiring to lead, following a rigorous selection process.
She said the training creates a safe and empowering space for participants to examine social norms, share lived experiences, and challenge practices that undermine women and girls.
According to her, the emphasis on collaboration and sisterhood has enabled participants to build strong networks that extend beyond the training period.
The initiative also provides counselling support for fellows facing personal challenges, alongside seed funding to help them roll out social action projects under the guidance of experienced mentors.
Some beneficiaries say the programme has already begun to reshape their personal and professional journeys. Ms Adamu Fuseini, a fellow from the first cohort, said the training strengthened her leadership, communication, and reporting skills, enabling her to engage more effectively with her community.
For Ms Sumaila Salma Wumpini, a participant in the second cohort, the programme has sparked a deeper commitment to feminist advocacy and inspired her to develop a project focused on sexual and reproductive health rights.
The TuWezeshe Akina Dada Leadership Programme is expected to conclude with fellows refining and implementing their community projects, supported by mentors, with the aim of building a new generation of women leaders capable of driving sustainable change across their communities.
