Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership Center has given me the best experience ever since i joined the numerous beneficiaries in Ghana. It sometimes becomes impossible for others to understand whether being in the Finance industry has any relation with community service. it is difficult to hide my compassion whenever I see students whose lives need mentoring and support. Due to this, i began a club in my community called Odom Teens Club.
MISSION
To help reduce teenage pregnancy through education, coaching and mentorship and provision of basic hygienic needs to teens.
The challenge identified in the community is higher rate of teenage pregnancy. This is measured by 20% reduction in the level of teenage pregnancy each year so by 2023 there should be zero tolerance for teenage pregnancy.
Odom Teens Club was founded on the 27th of January, 2017 after the donation of learning materials to students of A.M.E Zion at Agona Odom in the Central Region of Ghana to aid in their studies and to prevent students from moving from class to class. This was the first community service i undertook under the auspices of Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The learning materials included; exercise books, note books, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners and straight edges (rules). I then decided to provide them with those materials to help them have effective studies. With the assistance of Cama (Camfed Alumnae) members - Patience Boobongah who was a fellow, Shirley Afedzie-Donkor and other stakeholders - Head teacher of the school, funds were raised for such activity. The club began with seven (7) Junior High students – two (2) females and five (5) males who are currently in Senior High School.
INSPIRATION
The life story of brilliant girls whose lives have been put into mess because of teenage pregnancy. Who knows what these young girls would have grown up to be in the future for mother Ghana and the community they live if they had abstained from such act. In fact there are several others who might end up in the same story if we do not attend to this social issue at it early stage. The beneficiaries of this club are the students and the community.
MEMBERSHIP
Beginning form the donation activity, every third year class in the school get the chance to know about the about the club offers and ushers them into it by telling them about the club's activities and the students who are already in it. They automatically become members after completing their Junior High education. Currently, there are eighteen (18) students – seven (9) males and seven (9) females who are members of the club.
