AFJN Ghana has taken another important step in our community advocacy work to protect vulnerable children and empower young people in Northern Ghana. On Monday, 24th and Tuesday, 25th August 2026, we undertook an outreach visit to key government agencies, partner organisations, and selected communities in the Northern Region.
The visit focused on strengthening partnerships and mobilising support for AFJN Ghana’s advocacy programme aimed at reducing early child marriage and domestic servitude in six selected communities across four districts.
Engaging Government Agencies for Youth Development
The team first visited the National Sports Authority in Tamale, where we met with the Administrator to discuss possible support for football clubs in the six project communities. The Authority welcomed the idea and requested a formal letter outlining the specific support needed to strengthen football activities among young people in the communities.
The team also visited the National Youth Authority and met with the Regional Director, Mr. Ampofo. He commended the work being done and encouraged us to complete the registration process with the Authority. He further explained that once registered, eligible youth from the project communities could be considered for enrolment in future apprenticeship modules, especially those ready to pursue various trades.
Exploring Collaboration with Savannah Signatures
The outreach team later visited Savannah Signatures, a non-governmental organisation whose programmes align with aspects of AFJN Ghana’s work. The Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stephen Agbenyo, expressed appreciation for AFJN Ghana’s vision and mission and indicated the organisation’s willingness to explore areas of collaboration and support.
Monitoring Community Livelihood Activities
On Tuesday, the team visited Chirifoyili to monitor the progress of the community yam and soya bean farms. The yam farm, covering a quarter of an acre, was doing well, with the women having already staked and weeded the crop for the first time. The team also inspected the half-acre soya bean farm and was impressed by the growth of the crops.
Promoting Education and Community-Led Development in Kuli
We proceeded to Kuli, one of AFJN Ghana’s model communities. Through sustained advocacy, the community has embraced the importance of sending children to school. In the previous academic year, more than 300 children were enrolled at various levels, with many joining kindergarten.
As part of their own commitment to education, the community initiated a local school feeding programme, providing meals twice a week through contributions of yam and other food items. Following advocacy efforts and media coverage highlighting the situation in Kuli, GETFund is now constructing a six-unit classroom block and a six-unit teachers’ quarters for the community.
During the team’s visit, the classroom block was estimated to be about 80 percent complete, while the teachers’ quarters had reached the foundation stage.
The team also met one of the young women trained in electrical work. The engineer on site, who is also trained in electrical engineering, expressed interest in involving her when wiring work begins on the classroom block and teachers’ quarters.
The outreach continued to Sari, where the team engaged with community members and Dr. Kwabena Darkwa, who had previously trained the women on yam cultivation. He led the team to the demonstration farms and explained the initial stages of yam production and crop management.
Encouraging Girls through Sports and Skills Development
The final visit was to Bogkurugu, where the team interacted with members of the girls’ football club. The discussion was encouraging, as the girls shared their experiences and aspirations. AFJN Ghana encouraged them to remain in school and also take advantage of apprenticeship opportunities, especially those who have completed school and are yet to continue their education.
Continuing the Journey of Hope and Transformation
The August 2026 outreach reaffirmed AFJN Ghana’s commitment to working with communities, government institutions, and partner organisations to promote education, protect vulnerable children, empower young people, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
With the positive responses received from stakeholders and community members, AFJN Ghana remains hopeful that continued collaboration will bring lasting change to the selected communities in the Northern Region.
