The facility will further help bridge the digital divide and thereby empower the adolescent to leverage digitization productively for learning and other online job opportunities.
Besides, it will also provide coaching and mentorship, sexual and reproductive services, as well as peer education and adolescent networking.
Situated in the Sunyani Central Business District (CBD), the facility is furnished with modern computers and accessories and laptops connected to the internet.
Speaking at a short inauguration ceremony in Sunyani, Mr. Raphael Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, said the facility was set up purposely to enable adolescents to access the internet free for learning and research purposes.
It is in line with the “Intermediary City Eco-System Platform” that brings together government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, and most importantly, young people themselves to co-create solutions that will make Sunyani a city where every adolescent has the opportunity to thrive.
“We have also engaged instructors who will guide and ensure that the users or beneficiaries will use the facility productively. They will also be introduced to the use of some common apps and have the opportunity to learn the use of the computer in general”, he stated.
Mr. Ahenu explained that the Platform was under the GloMeF’s Resilient City for Adolescents Project (RC4A) and remained a crucial step in ensuring that young people were not just seen and heard but were actively involved in shaping the policies and programmes that affected their lives.
“At GloMeF we strongly believe that young people are not just beneficiaries of development, instead key drivers of change and if we provide them with the right opportunities, skills, and platforms, they will not only build a better future for themselves but for all of us”, he stated.
Mr. Ahenu expressed the optimism that “empowering young people is not just a responsibility but an investment in the sustainable future of our city”, and asked stakeholders to come together, innovate, and take actions that would transform Sunyani into a resilient city ‘where every adolescent feel seen, heard, and supported”.
In a highlight, Mr. Ahenu explained that the RC4A was a three-year project being implemented by the foundation and in partnership with Indigenous Women Empowerment Network and Citizens Watch Ghana, both NGOs.
The Swiss Bortnar Foundation is funding the 300,000-pounds sterling project which seeks to improve adolescent lives.
GNA
