Plan International Ghana recently organised a field trip for selected journalists from Northern Ghana to explore its operational communities and witness firsthand the profound impact of its interventions in education, water, sanitation, hygiene, and other vital areas.
The team visited Sagadugu Nos . 1 and 2 and Mimima in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region. These areas have seen transformative projects that have significantly improved the lives of children and their wider communities.
At Sagadugu Nos. 1 and 2, the journalists observed the positive effects of Plan International Ghana’s child sponsorship programme, which has supported approximately 636 children. They also visited a mechanised water system installed by the organisation, which enhances the community’s access to clean water.
Community members also expressed appreciation for the household latrines and the girl-friendly latrine built by Plan International. According to residents, these facilities have improved hygiene among girls and contributed to better overall sanitation.
Furthermore, the team was introduced to the organisation’s community-based initiatives, including School Health Clubs, Natural Leaders, Water Sanitation Management Teams (WSMTs), and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). The journalists later engaged with the “REAL Fathers” club, which promotes positive parenting and works to reduce violence against children.
The Chief of Guabulga, Salifu Mahama Tampuri, expressed gratitude for the “SHE LEADS” project, which empowers girls to take leadership roles while reducing early marriages and teenage pregnancies. He emphasised the importance of continued support for girls to pursue their education.
“When we provide these interventions and they get to senior high school, some of them come out with good results. But advancing to the next stage becomes a problem because their parents cannot support them, and that is where I get worried,” he shared.
Mathilda Rubabatu Manlokia, a 31-year-old beneficiary of the SHE LEADS project, shared her empowering story in an exclusive interview with GBCNEWS. She credited Plan International Ghana for changing her life and helping her secure a job as a Project Officer with Songtaba in the North East Region, where she manages around 200 girls across six clubs.
“If parents push their girls to marriage, it limits them from achieving greater heights, so I urge parents not to limit their daughters to the kitchen,” she said.
“Oh, Plan International, until we are all equal. I am super proud because if not for Plan International, by now I would have been limited to the kitchen,” Miss Manlokia added, beaming with pride.
In Mimima, the team visited the second cohort of the Alternative Learning Programme (ALP) for out-of-school children. During the visit, 28 learners—17 females and 11 males—were engaged in basic literacy and numeracy lessons in Mampruli.
Abdulai Abdallah, the Project Coordinator for the Ghana Education Outcome Project (GEOP), highlighted that after nine months, these learners would transition into formal schooling.
“The way this project is run, parents are not required to buy teaching and learning materials; yours is to commit yourself and enrol your ward in the programme. From books, pencils, erasers, everything is provided by the project, so parents who otherwise could not enrol their children because of a lack of these learning materials have taken an interest,” he explained.
The buy-in rate for this project has been exceptionally high, and parents have observed that once their children transition to formal school, they are supported throughout their education.
The team also visited the newly established SPAD Adolescent Drop-in Centre at Mimima, a facility designed to provide a safe, inclusive space for adolescents to learn, grow, and develop leadership skills. The centre offers comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, governance, and civic education.
This field trip highlighted Plan International Ghana’s unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children and communities across Northern Ghana. The organisation’s multifaceted interventions continue to make a significant and lasting impact on the region’s development.
