STAR-Ghana Foundation’s Actions for Voice and Inclusive Development (AVID) project has held an orientation for partners under the project in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The aim was to create an avenue for the partners to better understand the Foundation’s ways of working, including reporting requirements and how these relate to the project.
Additionally, the workshop provided a platform for identifying synergies amongst the partners to enhance collaboration.
The AVID, a two-year project with support from the Flora and Hewlett Foundation seeks to contribute to addressing systemic constraints to underserved population's access to their rights, particularly voice and influence in governance and equitable access to quality public goods and services.
In all, 44 participants participated in the AVID orientation programme and were drawn from 21 Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), and less formalised networks shortlisted after submitting concept notes through the call for partnership process. These partners were supported to fully develop their concept notes into proposals in tandem with the project’s overall goal, participated in the two-day orientation from 28th – 29th March 2023.
Some participants in the meeting
At opening of the orientation, the Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, gave a brief background about STAR-Ghana Foundation and its significant efforts at securing funding over the years for different organisations involved in different missions, all aimed at making development inclusive.
He said the AVID project is part of the broader mission of the Foundation which focuses on active citizenship and local philanthropy – mobilising resources internally for development.
“Development cannot be achieved unless people actively participate in development issues. We cannot depend solely on donors. It is encouraging to know that we are supported by several partners like you who believe that they are a part of Ghana’s development,” he said.
He challenged the partners to do more man than the usual to help in the development of their communities and urged them to use the resources allocated to them for the intended purposes.
Some AVID partners during the orientation
AVID & GESI
The Head of Programmes, STAR-Ghana Foundation, Eunice R. Agbenyadzi, said the Foundation focuses on ensuring the promotion of equality and inclusion not only in its programmes but also in the organisation.
Therefore, she said the Foundation’s approach to gender, equality, and social inclusion (GESI) does not put social inclusion at the centre of gender equality but focuses on the two to reduce the risk of missing one along the line.
“We are very consumed by understanding how the things we do translate into creating an inclusive and equal society that we want to see. We know that our work is about promoting transparent and accountable governance, so, if we are doing any work in social inclusion, we are keeping an eye on gender equality and vice versa,” she said.
Outlining the expectations of the partnership, she said the AVID project seeks to create an inclusive and equal society, therefore, the partners ability to demonstrate GESI in their activities is key to their legitimacy.
Some participants in the meeting
She deduced there are some groups of people that have always been at the risk of being left behind in terms of their access to school, citing as an example, girls who are always battling with adolescent barriers to education.
However, she said girls in the rural areas where there is poverty may be more vulnerable than those in the city.
“The AVID project is an equity project. It means the way we implement AVID must be in principle with GESI. If you do GESI as an institution, it becomes your way of work and not just part of your project,” she said.
She emphasized that the project offers better access to social services, resources and aims at securing livelihoods for underserved groups in the country.
Specifically, she said six groups have been identified as part of the Hewlett Foundation country strategy scoping study as those with most needs yet to be met, experience severe levels of marginalization, and have clear advocacy issues they are tackling.
These include peasant/smallholder farmers, market women, rural women, youths, persons with disabilities and Fulani/Fulbes ethnic groups.
