Worldreader Ghana on Tuesday organised reading classes for three schools in Jamestown, Accra to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.
To enhance their reading skills and improve the focus, memory and communication skills of the pupils, the event had support from the Women in Public Relations (PR), Ghana.
Worldreader is an international non-profit organisation with the vision to nurture readers.
Together with the organisers, the participating schools including Alko International School, Hamsptead Academy and Glorious Prince Academy read the story-Ayanda Says No to Child Abuse – after which a question and answer session was held with prizes given out to pupils who answered questions.
International Day of the Girl Child is an international observance Day declared by the United Nations and was first celebrated on October 11, 2012.
The observation supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide.
This inequality included areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence against women and forced child marriage.
This year’s International Day of the Girl Child for 2022 was themed “Our time is now—our rights, our future.”
The Content Acquisitions Manager, West Africa, Worldreader, Kezia Agbenyega explained that the story was about a young girl who was able to cause change in her neighbourhood by refuting child abuse.
She said reading with the pupils was to assess their understanding of the message in the story, educate them on child abuse and imbibe in them the habit of reading consistently.
“The essence of the whole programme is to let them see that reading is important, read with dignitaries to let them know that reading takes you to places and also celebrate the power of reading to cause change,” she added.
Faith Senam Ocloo, founder, women in PR indicated that it was imperative for them as women in a professional network to help build the young ones as they built themselves.
“It is also important that as we are building ourselves and our profession, we also hold the hands of the younger ones, and what better way to do that than to make this day by partnering an organisation that is encouraging people to read,” she added.
Ms Ocloo said they had come that far due to reading, as such, there was the need for all particularly young girls to read to enrich their writing and communication skills, which would subsequently improve their lives and be better persons in society.
Pupils who participated in an interaction with this paper expressed their excitement at the activity and urged the organisers to keep holding such to improve their reading skills.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR
