The British High Commission, the Canadian High Commission and the Embassy of France are proud to announce the winners of the third annual Ambassador for a Day (AfD) competition. This is a major initiative aimed at empowering young women to take on leadership roles, advocate for women’s rights and play an active role in foreign affairs.
The AfD competition will give winners the opportunity to spend a day with ambassadors and high commissioners, as well as participate in other activities with their matched mission directors. This year, 12 winners have been selected, and the top three contestants will have the opportunity to follow in the shadows of three mission leaders. they are:
- Marika Kasim (against Canadian High Commissioner)
- Aisha Bashir (against the British High Commissioner)
- Abigail Kyerewa Biden (playing against the French Ambassador)
All 12 successful candidates will have the opportunity to participate in leadership and advocacy efforts to accelerate the passage and implementation of affirmative action legislation.
The following mission directors will participate in the 2024 AfD competition:
- Her Excellency Harriet Thompson, British High Commissioner
- Her Excellency Martine Moreau, High Commissioner of Canada
- Ambassador of France His Excellency Jules-Armand Aninbossu
British High Commissioner, Her Excellency Harriet Thompson, congratulated the winners and said:
Today, we celebrate our impressive winners, who were selected from hundreds of amazing applications received. We highlight the stories of these girls to demonstrate the importance of girls having an active voice in society.
To all the other young women who have shown their confidence and potential through their applications, good luck and success as you strive to realize your dreams.
Thank you to all our nine partners: Power to Girls Foundation, Fulani Youth Association of Ghana (FUYAG), Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), UNFPA, CAMFED, PAYDP, African Leadership Women’s Network (ALWN), the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition Youth Wing and Plan Ghana for supporting this initiative and ensuring that our amazing participants were able to participate in the contest.
The AfD contest is part of the African Gender and Equality Month initiative, a campaign run by the British High Commission every March. The aim is to mark and celebrate gender and equality by engaging with key stakeholders and holding a series of initiatives to learn and understand gender and equality in Ghana today.
On March 22, all 12 winners will participate in an awards ceremony and mentorship learning and sharing workshop. These winners are:
- Marika Qasim
- Aisha Bashir
- Abigail Kyerewa Biden
- Augusta Emefa Agbinku
- Mohamed Bello Hidaya
- Rashida Ama Abban
- Priscilla Serwaa Coffey
- Maubasharatu Abdulai
- maame eshi kumu enimayu
- Vestina Martins
- Amdalattu Amidu Atiyil and
- Cheryl Renee Quay
High Commissioners and Ambassadors, as well as representatives of the nine women’s rights organizations (WROs) and youth organizations whose beneficiaries participated in the AfD competition, and the winners of AfD 2023 will have the opportunity to meet the 12 winners for the first time. Interact, network and participate in media activities with the British High Commissioner.
Winners will also serve as Community-Based Ambassadors (CBAs), change facilitators and champions who advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment within their own communities.