Youth Leaders join in the fight against Child Labour and Trafficking

Do you agree the youth in the world are a powerful resource for development? In Ghana four young people, Priscilla Sekyiwah Afful, Josephine Honore, Mia Nielsen and Emmanuel Yamoah are currently contributing to Ghana’s development through the Danish Youth Council (DUF) Youth Leader Exchange.

The purpose of DUF’s Youth Leader Exchange is to strengthen the capacity of partnerships and to establish a closer cooperation between a Danish organization and partners in the MENA region and developing countries.

Through a Youth Leader Exchange, young volunteers from organizations in Denmark are assigned to the partner organizations as a full-time”youth leaders” for an extended period – and vice versa.

The youth leaders’ job is to support your Pilot or Partnership Project and the specific activities of the partnership.

The four youth leaders were selected through a transparent selection process based on their skills, volunteering experiences and knowledge.

In Ghana the Youth Leaders were selected by Cheerful Hearts Foundation and in Denmark they were selected by the partner organisation Child Rights Ambassador (CRA).

The Youth Leaders successfully completed a two weeks training in international project management. They joined other YL from Uganda, Denmark, Nepal, Zimbabwe and Palestine. Throughout the course the youth leaders made presentations, facilitated workshops, and were given practical and analytical tools.

They were awarded certificates and are applying their knowledge and skills on the MRMF project in Ghana.

Afterwards they met with some members and staff of Child Right Ambassadors and also visited various important landmarks in Sweden.

The YL were also given an exclusive tour of the Danish Parliament located in Christiansborg Palace, by Member of Parliament, Peter Hummelgaard Thomsen.

During their stay in Denmark the Youth Leaders (YL) joined the partner organization in Denmark , Child Rights Ambassadors at the Danish Youth Council main office in Copenhagen for a partnership day.

Together they discussed various aspects of the project and practicalities such as communication strategies, financial management and budgets, roles of all stakeholders, and plans for the My Right My Future Project.

Mia, Priscilla, Josephine and Emmanuel arrived in Ghana last month for the Youth Leader Exchange Program and have undergone orientation in the rural communities CHF operates. They have met with the field assistants and peer educators, and have been engaged in various project activities.

Their roles among others will be organizing a children and youth conference, developing communication and exit strategies, and final evaluation of the MRMF project.