UE/R: YOUTH HARVEST FOUNDATION GHANA LAUNCH  GIRLS EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND –

BY: Jane Akaatali

Youth Harvest  Foundation Ghana, a non  governmental organization based in the Bolgatanga Municipality has launched a girl child educational Scholarship  scheme  to support brilliant but needy student girls who desire to pursue educational careers.

This  came to light when the organization held an end of year reception

to climax its 20th anniversary which begun earlier this year with series of activities, and to also launch a scholarship fund to support brilliant but  needy student  to have a better future.

The execuctive director of YHFG Madam  Priscilla Nyaaba, narrating her ordeal 20 years ago as a young  intelligent  girl who had gained admission to study at the Bolgatanga Girls Secondary school, at the time who solely depended on the only bread winner of the family. She said at the time she got to her second year and was to take her promotional exam, she lost him. All hope to further her education was lost, since there was no one to support her. Her case, being a special one as her teachers took keen interest in her being very intelligent, introduced her to a scholarship program that supported her through her studies to become a professional nurse and now the Executive Director of the organisation.

She  added that, but for the intervention of the scholarship scheme, she would not have been where she is now.She appealed to individuals and organisations and the general public to contribute to grow the fund so many other young girls can benefit from it. She ceased the opportunity to thank all partners and stakeholders for supporting them right from the launch of the anniversary to its climax especially the Chief and elders of the Yikine Community.

The founder of the YHFG,Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, told a touching story of how his 14 year old younger sister was forced into marriage in other for him to return to the University. It was against this background that the idea of establishing the YHFG came about 20 years ago. He indicated that the sad experience he had at the time influenced his decision to establish a foundation in other to harvest the youth. Dr. Krugu said he had taken it upon himself to ensure that, no young person should go through what he went through to get educated and that no young girl should should have to go through what his sister went through for another to get education.

He touched on the fact that his organization was founded with a purpose and will do everything possible to ensure the well-being of young girls in our communities. He indicated that his organisation was  running a remedial school to support young girls who may have finished Senior High school but have not performed well in their exams to do better, and also prevent them from being forced into early marriages. He said after 20 years of doing programs to stop Child marriages and teenage pregnancy, they have decided to include skills development in  other for these young girls to be able to support themselves. He said they have  also added Agri business to their programs for parents to be able to support their children’s education. Dr John Kingsley Krugu applauded the Chief and elders of Yikine Community for voluntarily offering a piece of land of which the premises of the organisation is situated. He encouraged everyone to support the fund by contributing to it, since  it was intended to support young girls to go to the university. He also thanked their international partners who were present during the launch of the anniversary earlier this year and for donating an amount of 2000 Euros as seed money to support the fund. Dr Krugu personally donated 5000gh to kick start the fund.

source: gbcuraonline.com