Working with Influencers
UNICEF works with celebrities and famous personalities to advocate for the rights of the child
For every child, champions...
Since 2016, UNICEF has partnered with celebrities and famous personalities to advocate for the fulfilment of the rights of children and young people such as Wiyaala (singer/songwriter), M.anifest (Kwame Ampetepee Tsikata – rapper) , Gary Al-Smith (sports journalist), Ameyaw Debrah (celebrity blogger), and MzVee (Vera Hamenoo Kpeda - singer).
Education and Empowerment
In June 2017, UNICEF accompanied by celebrity blogger, Ameyaw Debrah and journalist Francisca Forson travelled to Sandema in the Upper East Region to observe how UNICEF supports the Government of Ghana to give every child access to quality education. They observed how children in kindergarten are encouraged to start reading at an early age with materials provided by UNICEF and partners, how teachers have been trained to help children with special needs learn and how children who did not have the chance to start school at the right age are integrated into school.
Adolescents and Youth Engagement
In February 2018, to increase awareness on issues that affect girls and adolescent engagement, M.anifest, MzVee, Gary Al-Smith and Wiyaala visited Kpandai in the Northern Region to observe how UNICEF and partners are working to improve the life of adolescent girls with the “Better Life for Girls” project funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency. The programme is aimed at equipping adolescent girls in Ghana with knowledge, skills and an enabling environment to make informed decisions. The influencers had the opportunity to attend a Ghanaians Against Child Abuse (GACA) community engagement, a community discussion with the child protection toolkit and interacted with girls and boys in a school on menstrual hygiene management, leadership and careers and the Girls Iron Folate Tablet Supplementation (an initiative to reduce anaemia in girls).
Child Rights
In April 2019, UNICEF’s influencers also had the opportunity to visit Jirapa and Nadowli districts in Upper West to observe the work that UNICEF and partners do to ensure that the rights of children in Ghana are being fulfilled as Ghana celebrates thirty years of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. They interacted with mothers at a new-born Care facility, witnessed children receiving their birth certificates and led team on a verification process to declare a community open defecation free.
They also joined UNICEF to celebrate thirty years of the Convention of the Rights of the Child at the regional launch in Tamale in the Northern Region.