There were emotional scenes, moments of excitement and heartfelt reflections in Sunyani as the Resilient City for Adolescents (RCA) project held its Close-Out and Learning Summit after three years of impactful implementation that transformed the lives of adolescents and strengthened communities across the municipality.
The project, implemented from 2023 to 2025 by Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), Citizens Watch Ghana and Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (IWEN), with funding from Fondation Botnar through Ecorys UK, was widely celebrated by stakeholders as one of the most impactful adolescent-focused interventions undertaken in Sunyani in recent years.
The colourful event brought together adolescents, parents, teachers, community leaders, traditional authorities, government institutions, civil society organizations and development partners to celebrate the achievements, lessons and success stories recorded under the project.
Despite the joy and excitement that characterized the summit, the atmosphere was filled with mixed feelings and emotions as many participants expressed passive sadness and concern over the closure of the project while also celebrating the life-changing impact it had on young people and communities.
Many beneficiaries and stakeholders in their presentations openly admitted that they wished the project could continue because of the positive transformation it brought into the lives of adolescents through leadership training, advocacy, mentorship, skills development and community engagement programmes.
The Resilient City for Adolescents Project was designed to promote adolescent wellbeing, participation, resilience and inclusion by creating safer and more responsive urban environments where young people can thrive socially, politically and economically.
The initiative focused on strengthening adolescent leadership, promoting youth participation in governance and decision-making, enhancing communication and digital skills, improving mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, supporting advocacy and social accountability, and equipping adolescents with practical life skills for personal development and community transformation.
Throughout the implementation period, as many as 4,012 adolescents directly benefited from various interventions including leadership and advocacy training, participatory video storytelling, climate and environmental awareness education, entrepreneurship support, social media engagement, sexual and reproductive health education, and peer-to-peer mentoring programmes.
One of the most touching moments during the summit was the screening and presentation of Participatory Video and Most Significant Change (PVMSC) stories as well as impact documentaries showcasing the transformational journeys of beneficiaries and communities under the RCA project.
The impact stories of Ishaq Umar Rahima, Madina Ayabilah, Forson Lawrence, Yaa Vera, Paulina Wepia and Ibrahim Kabore, deeply moved the participants and received loud applause and admiration.
However, the story of Ishaq Umar Rahima, a female adolescent beneficiary and teenage mother, stood out as powerful testimony of youth advocacy and civic participation. Through the confidence, leadership skills and advocacy knowledge acquired under the RCA Project, Ishaq Rahima successfully championed the need for improved educational infrastructure at the African Faith Basic School at Yawhima.
Her advocacy efforts contributed significantly to the construction of a three-unit classroom block for the school by the city authorities, bringing relief and hope to pupils, teachers and members of the community. Aside gaining journalism skills and ability to host radio shows, Ishaq Umar Rahima participated in global learning events including the world urban forum in Egypt, learning exchange programme in India and global learning forum in Ghana, ultimately won an award as the Most Promising Young Leader of Year 2025 at the Ghana Leadership Awards.
Her achievement is a clear demonstration of the power of empowering adolescents to become active contributors to community development and social change.
The impact story of Ibrahim Kabore, Adolescent MP for Abetifi Zongo and citizen journalist also highlighted how the RCA Project positively shaped the lives of young people by building their confidence, sense of responsibility and ability to engage meaningfully in community activities and development processes.
His consistent advocacy and fight against poor sanitation management in the Sunyani Zongo area and market places, which have yielded many positive outcomes also stood out at the summit. His stories warmed the hearts of patrons and reinforced the importance of investing in adolescents as key drivers of sustainable development.
Another major attraction at the summit was the beautifully organized Market Square exhibition, where project artifacts, communication materials, photographs, advocacy outputs, educational resources and creative works produced by beneficiaries were displayed for participants and guests.
The exhibition area attracted significant attention as adolescents proudly showcased their talents, achievements and experiences gained throughout the implementation of the project.
The event also featured the presentation of certificates to beneficiaries who successfully completed training programmes in various modules under the RCA Project. The Close-Out and Learning Summit was graced fully by the Country Director of Ecorys UK, Mr. Augustine Akrofi and the Chief Director of the Bono Regional Coordinating Council who represented the Regional Minister.
Speaking at the summit, the Chief Executive Officer of GLOMEF Ghana, Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu emphasized the need for continuous investment in adolescents and youth-centered development interventions.
The CEO commended Fondation Botnar and Ecorys UK for their commitment and support toward adolescent wellbeing and resilience-building initiatives in Ghana, stressing that the project had not only transformed adolescents but had also strengthened relationships between young people, schools, communities and local authorities.
The Executive Director for Citizens Watch Ghana, Mr. Simon Asore on his part appealed to stakeholders, government institutions and development partners to sustain the gains achieved under the project and continue prioritizing adolescent-focused programmes capable of shaping a better future for young people.
According to him, the RCA project had demonstrated that when young people are empowered with opportunities, mentorship, skills and supportive environments, they become powerful agents of positive social transformation and community development.
The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboah (Esq), in a speech read on his behalf by the Bono Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. Nar-ire P. David, also acknowledged the significant impact of the RCA project in the region.
The Minister, noted that, the RCA Project was a responsive intervention designed to address emerging issues negatively affecting adolescents in rapidly growing secondary cities, including rural-urban migration, youth unemployment and limited access to quality health, education and social services.
He also assured stakeholders of government’s commitment to youth empowerment under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama through programmes such as the National Apprenticeship Programme, Adwumawura Programme, Youth Employment Entrepreneurship Initiative, expanded Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) support programme, National Coders Programme and Youth in Agriculture and Agribusiness Initiative.
He commended the establishment of the Adolescent Parliament and the Intermediary City Ecosystem Platform, which enhanced adolescent participation in city-level planning and decision-making processes.
Mr. Akwaboah expressed hope that the close-out of the project would pave the way for a new phase of intervention capable of sustaining and expanding the gains achieved.
