Thirteen young girls from Shama in the Western Region of Ghana are participating in this year’s Sisters Keepers’ Black Girls in Leadership Development (B-GILD) Community Excellence Awards Program.
Sisters Keepers, a community of women passionate about improving the lives of at-risk black girls and women, worked in partnership with IADI, a Shama-based NGO, to select the thirteen participants who joined thirty-three other exceptional young leaders from Nigeria, the UK, the US, and Kenya, for the transformative program. These young leaders were competitively selected from over 1,300 applicants.
The participants are undergoing a one-month intensive mentorship and training program to empower them to design, execute, and report on impactful community service projects.
According to Farida Laryea, Coordinator at Sisters Keepers and IADI, each participant is committing twenty hours of community service and is being guided by experienced mentors through a series of structured workshops.
She listed three key components that form the basis of the program and added that participants who show unparalleled dedication and impact in their respective communities will be celebrated and awarded.
“We have mentorship and training, where participants receive personalized mentorship from mentors who will support them in conceptualizing and planning their community service projects. Then, there are four comprehensive workshops to train participants in designing, executing, and evaluating the impact of their projects. These workshops are critical in providing the skills and knowledge needed to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
“The participants will also be invited to a one-week summer institute in Ghana, where they will receive additional mentorship from the 2024 Moremi Initiative fellows. This immersive experience will further enhance their leadership and community service capabilities,” she added.
Participants from Shama, and their colleagues from the other participating countries, are excited about the opportunity and promise to bring their experience to bear when the need arises.
The B-GILD Community Excellence Awards Program is designed to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary efforts of young Black girls in leadership and community service. By providing scholarships, mentorship, and training, Sisters Keepers aims to empower these young women to become influential leaders and change-makers.
“Our goal is to foster a sense of responsibility and leadership among young Black girls,” said Violet Pearson, President and Global Facilitator. “We are incredibly proud of our selected participants and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make through their community service projects.”
