The overlord of Dagbon Yaa Naa Abukari II has commended CAMFED for sponsoring 600 girls and 15 schools this year in Yendi.

He said CAMFED has sponsored several thousands of girls in the entire Northern region, something he said was very commendable.

The King said this when a delegation from CAMFED paid a courtesy call on him at Gbewa palace in Yendi.

Chief Bin Dana, Ahmed Ayuba Ziblim, who represented the King of Dagbon, Ndan Ya Na Abukari II said the King believed that this would open the doors for the girl child to rise to positions of greatness in the country. “This year alone CAMFED sponsored 675 girls in our schools, so you see the quantum. This multiplied by 10 would give you thousands of girls and I am hoping that one day a girl will come from the north and be a president or the vice president” he said.

The overlord however raised concerns over the poor patronage by parents of the girls’ junior high school established in Yendi by CAMFED. "The pathetic thing is that the girl's school that has been opened here parents don't patronize it. Please patronize the school, I wish I had more girls, I would have sent them to the girls' JHS to go and be educated" the representative said.

Chief Bin Dana Ahmed said the Yaa Naa had allocated some lands to CAMFED to establish offices in Yendi. My father the Yaa Naa has said I should tell CAMFED he would give them two plots so that they will build their offices. We want them to have their own visible offices therefore after this, please see the chief's secretary and he will match you to where the plots are then you can start with the offices" he said.

He said CAMFED started by ensuring girl children in the region are offered education at a time when most girls were neglected and made to stay home without education applauding for their role in educating girls.

Chief Bin Dana said the time had come for girls to help eradicate poverty in their families.

He also commended the organization for its outstanding work in training girls with vocational skills and trade.

He urged communities to welcome and partner with them to deliver.

The Head of Communication and Strategic Partnership, CAMFED, George Yaw Adorshie, said even though his out does not have the total solutions to the challenges faced by the education sector they believe by partnership with communities and other stakeholders they will be able to design and implement their programmes to help address some of the challenges.

He said it was therefore imperative to engage with the chief and the community as important stakeholders and share information that would contribute to the implementation of their programmes.

Mr Adorshie said from January this year to December 2029 CAMFED had begun the implementation of a new strategic plan which would among others ensure that they scale up what they have been doing already in the Northern region.

He said the new strategic plan includes the continuous disbursement of bursary support to girls to have an education and skills training among others.

“No stakeholder or partner should ever have the idea that CAMFED programmes are going to end very soon. CAMFED programmes will not end anytime soon. If for anything is at all we are going to provide more to the girls and the young women that we have been supporting already” he said

Mr Adorshie added that they will continue with support to their CAMA network, and the enterprise development programme and support young women to transition successfully from Senior high school to become CAMA network members to develop an enterprise or further their education.

Mr Adorshie urged all to collaborate to help CAMFED deliver on its mandate.