HAJARATU IS EMPOWERING LOCAL GIRLS

Hajaratu Ayuba, both employee and volunteer female Playmaker in Ghana, contributes to the fight against gender inequity every day.

Two years ago, she got involved with an all-female project at GAME´s partner in Ghana5 DUNK’s (Developing Unity, Nurturing Knowledge). The project had 80 young girls and 20 physical education teachers participating. The goal was to empower them through education and sports and for them to become agents of change in the slums of Dansoman, Accra. Dansoman was selected for the project because the gender inequity is quite visible there, with the women and girls not having the same rights and opportunities as the boys and men.

The project turned out to be a big success and increased Hajaratu´s passion about empowering girls and giving them more opportunities in life. Born and raised in one of Ghana’s deprived communities herself, opportunities were all Majaratu wished for growing up.

LONG WAY TO GO

In High School Hajaratu experienced gender inequity multiple times. People discouraged her and told her to quit, when she wanted to become chair of the student council. Despite this she ended up winning the election and became the frst female protocol prefect at the school in over 40 years. But there is still a long way to go, she explains:

Girls really can’t be whoever they want to be if there is no support to help them through. I believe having people to support your dream would go a long way into bridging the gender gap.

Besides being a Playmaker, Hajaratu also works as a communication ofcer for GAME and DUNK.

I know I’m making a difference for girls, especially because it’s not often you would see a female being given the opportunity to do what I do here. Sometimes when I walk around with my camera, making content, I see how especially females look at me like – she can do that? In my head, I’m always like: Yeah girl! I can, and so can you!” For Hajaratu, GAME and DUNK are the perfect matches for her. She is able to work within the feld she loves, and make an impact in the lives of other people, especially girls.

Hajaratu is now working towards her goals of furthering her studies in media and communication and building a career in journalism. She says that these opportunities might not have been available for her if it had not been for GAME and GAME’s dynamic local partner, DUNK.

of the attendances in the GAME Zones in Somaliland are female

of Playmakers in Ghana think that boys and girls should have the same opportunities in life

Hajaratu, to the left, is a communication officer and Playmaker in GAME and our partner DUNK. Here she is at a Playmaker Camp in Accra. Through her work she is fghting alongside GAME and DUNK for gender equality.