5Girls Project

Ida Pokuaah is organizing this fundraiser.

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23.2 million children of primary school age are out of school, 52% are girls! (UNICEF)

What inspired us?

In 2015, Tina embarked on a life changing experience to work on a child rights project in the central region of Ghana. Although she was aware that there were long standing discriminatory opinions that discouraged girl’s education, it touched a nerve having to witness first hand that even when girls were given their rights to education they were constantly experiencing:

(1)   A lack of self belief and confidence

(2)   Discouragement from family and their communities;

(3)   Vulnerability to forced labour and trafficking,

(4)   teenage pregnancy

(5)   and forced marriage

Many of the issues mentioned above have a correlation with the high levels of poverty and cycle of deprivation within these communities. As such this has undermined many girls’ ability to remain in school and decreased their chances of going on to secondary school.

However, in spite of the odds, these amazing girls (above) have become top achievers, and provided with the right opportunities, Tina believes that they have the potential to become women who can impact their communities, their country and the world.

Upon returning to the UK and sharing her experience with her friends, and touched by the girls’ stories; reflecting back on our own experiences as young girls, we knew that it was our responsibility to play some part in safeguarding their future.

The support has been tremendous and in January 2016, the growing 5Girls team revisited Ghana to meet the amazing 5 and empower them to believe in themselves, their goals and their dreams.

What is the mission?

We are now on a mission to inspire these girls to recognise their self-worth, raise their aspirations and ambition, and provide them access to personal development opportunities. Our aim is to see these girls remain in education and successfully transition into Senior high school. We want to equip them with the right skills and knowledge to be able to confidently pursue their career aspirations.

How you can help?

Considering the social and culture barriers that affect young girls from continuing with their education after junior high school, we have developed a number of initiatives and programs to empower young girls and also support them to successfully transition into senior high school.

This August, Tina, Ida, Liz and Stella will be travelling to Ghana to launch our ‘Elevating Girls Programme’, which is where all funds raised will go towards. This programme has been designed to broaden these girls’ mind-sets, expose them to new experiences and provide them insights into different career and business options.

We have cultivated partnerships with several innovative local organisations including Global Mamas, Ispace Ghana and actor David Ankrah; who all share our passion in providing creative learning spaces as well as confidence and leadership building skills.

The Elevating Girls Programme will be a 10 day workshop filled with practical, creative and innovative activities. The themes for the week focus on four major areas:

·       Confidence/self-esteem

·   Entrepreneurship

·       Performing Arts

·       Design and crafts

We have put on a number of activities including but not limited to:

·   Coding workshop in partnership with iSpace Ghana,

·   Design class where our girls learn a craft and how they can market it and create business

·   Script writing to create a drama piece capturing the issues affecting young girls in Ghana

· African Drumming and Dance workshop

· A talk on world issues delivered by TEDxAccra

We will end the week with the girls being taken to their first trip to the capital city Accra where they will be awarded with certificates and a social activity.

Any support will be greatly appreciated, and your funds are guaranteed to go towards purchasing resources, workshop costs, transportations, lunch expenses and contributions to the girls School Fees.

Please, please, please share with all your friends, family, colleagues!!! We will also be placing all sponsors names into a draw and three lucky people will be picked to either receive a special thank you message, a wonderful crafted piece of jewellery and a tie and dye cloth all created by the girls themselves.