The Female Empowerment Initiative (FEM), a non-governmental organization based in the Upper East Region of Ghana, is actively empowering young girls in basic schools through comprehensive sex education.
This initiative educates girls on sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention, and offers skills training to provide livelihoods. By supporting the education of women and girls, FEM addresses critical issues such as sexual advances from boys and sexual violence, including rape and defilement, aiming to reduce the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the region.
The organization also distributes sanitary pads to promote hygiene during menstruation.
In an exclusive interview with Word News, Madam Ernestina Mambono Nyaaba, Founder and Executive Director of FEM, shared the organization’s vision to reach people across Ghana and beyond by empowering women and girls.
She emphasized the importance of educating girls about sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention, and skill development. Madam Ernestina highlighted a concerning trend: as girls transition into adulthood, they often exhibit naivety and are highly influenced by peers, increasing their vulnerability to sexual exploitation, coercion, and abuse.
These factors contribute to the alarming rise in teenage pregnancies, particularly in 2025. She stressed the need for girls to be guided and supported with the right knowledge to make healthy life choices. She hopes that through these initiatives, more girls will forge brighter paths, positioning themselves as future leaders and change agents in Ghana and beyond.
Mrs. Denicia Gbanaab, a field officer at FEM, noted that the organization engages young girls in discussions about their current lives and future.
The education provided helps them learn how to take care of themselves, avoid teenage pregnancy, and prevent school dropout, ultimately preparing them to be responsible adults.
FEM offers skills training programs where participants learn to make solid and liquid soap, empowering them to create household products and reduce dependency on men. Gbanaab emphasized the importance of raising awareness among teenage girls, who may not fully understand the dangers posed by peers who lure them into risky behaviors, leading to unintended pregnancies that significantly affect their futures.
Additionally, FEM works with mothers, including single mothers, by organizing groups where they receive training in liquid soap production and other skills. Some participants have already started businesses, and the organization hopes to establish a center to further their core activities.
Madam Gbanaab expressed the desire for increased support and donations to help FEM grow. With more resources, they could build an office and a conference hall to facilitate various activities and skill training programs for young girls.
Source : mywordfmonline.com/ Gaspard Ayuureneeya Adongo.