Okyeman Girls Football Academy: tackling teenage pregnancy in Ghana

WSC: How has the project grown and what is its importance to your community?

CAA: Parents became familiar with our mission and vision and allowed for their kids to be part of the project. We started off as a foundation with the purpose of using football as a positive tool to help control the rise of teenage pregnancy. This project is for the daughters of the downtrodden, to unearth their hidden potentials of becoming great individuals in the community and region as a whole. We can’t imagine the community without our programme. Without the Okyeman Girls Football Academy, many of these girls would have suffered the same fate and have their dreams shattered.

WSC: What challenges have you faced?

CAA: Our major hurdle is funding - the call for expansion is mind blowing as the girls have shown great signs of developing into top stars. We require funding for matchballs, soccer boots, equipment and logistics to continue with the growth and development, as well as scouting and recruiting more girls, educational equipment and food.

WSC: What provision does Okyeman Girls Football Academy offer females now?

CAA: Through the academy structure, we have the under 9 division, under 13, 16 and under 18 who participated in the Eastern Regional Women’s Division 1 League. We now have about 38 girls at the academy, who get the chance to explore the opportunities of football in a professional setting. We are not a results-oriented, as our focus is the growth and development of our girls, to challenge them to become better individuals and athletes. The results will be a complement to our hard work.

Student athletes in our academy/ foundation get the chance of being placed on scholarships to be enrolled in nearby schools for onward growth and development. We prioritise their mental health as they need to be of sound mind in a sound body. We prioritise equipping the heart, the hand, and the head  as we enlighten them about life beyond the pitch which is most important. They have the chance to learn more creative skills, in photography, creative writing and acting in short clips.

We work tirelessly on their attitudes and we prioritise character development also. They learn about teamwork, resilience, discipline, leadership and how to tolerate and collaborate with each other for their betterment. They get to meet mentors, coaches and ex-players to share their experiences with them and further enlighten them more about their journey.

WSC: What are the future plans for Okyeman Girls Football Academy?

CAA: We envisage ourselves becoming a global brand with its own ultra-modern residential sports complex and becoming one of the finest talent identification and development hubs in the world. So far, we have only had two teenage females who have become pregnant but not part of the programme. So, I believe if we are highly-equipped we can stretch forth our wings into getting more girls on board to inspire them and give them a safe place for them to thrive.