Adaklu-based Grow Your Dream Foundation (GYDF) is partnering with a German donor organisation and a German NGO (HITA) for an 11-month project from which communities across the District will benefit considerably. The project focuses on community engagement for strengthening gender equality and its role in social development, as well as health education and how to fight the spread of COVID-19.
The project commenced on February 1st with the community entry activity. Followed established protocols, the GYDF team first contacted the opinion leaders, chiefs and elders of each community and introduced the project to them. Once their support was ensured, we were able to start interacting with the members of each community and to present to them the project, its objectives and contents. This also allowed us to assess whether there is sufficient interest among community members (fathers, mothers, adolescents) to actively participate in the project, i.e. to take part in the monthly Club meetings to be chaired by the GYDF team. In each village we obtained the consent of individual community members. Our initial meetings also acted a platform designed to allow an open, initial stage discussion about the project, the need for activities of this kind, and the potential benefits for the community.
Each of the ten communities we approached have warmly welcomed the project and committed to give it their maximum support to ensure its success. Fathers (Daddy’s) and Mothers Clubs have already been established, and a Club Leader designated for each of them. Adolescent Clubs will be added later based on interest, once the communities have made experience with the format.
The ten communities participating in the project are thus confirmed: Ahunda Kpodzi, Amuzudeve, Dawanu, Dorkpo, Dzakpo, Gavorkorfe, Golokope, Kordiabe, Kpodoave and Seva. Total number of people who participated in our introductory meetings in the ten selected communities has been 654 (303 women and 351 men). The next step in the project is a “train the trainer” workshop to be organied in late March or early April this year, to which all Club Leaders will be invited.
