Zonta Club of Accra, the premiere Zonta International Club in Africa, has sworn in new executives and directors for the 2023-2026 Biennium.

In her acceptance speech, the President, Clara Browne, outlined the goals of the new Board which according to her, were aligned with Zonta International’s vision and goals.

She said the Board will focus on one major goal of Zonta International - which is to expand access to education.

To this end, she said the Club will take up the training of teachers, preferably, teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as a focused project adding that “STEM education has become essential towards improving education in Ghana”.

She said there was a shortage of STEM teachers in Primary and Junior High Schools in Ghana and so the Club will partner with the Practical Education Network (PEN), to train teachers who can then pass on the knowledge acquired to their students.

Expanding on why the interest in education, Mrs Browne said investing in education for women and girls tends to yield higher returns including the breaking of cycles of poverty, fostering economic growth and empowering women generally both at home and the workplace.

Still, on education-related matters, the incoming President of the Club indicated that the Board will continue with an Adolescent Reproductive Health programme started by her predecessors in the Abokobi District in the Greater Accra Region. 

The programme has already been implemented in 21 schools in the district remaining 10 more schools to go.

It is also the plan for the Club to supply regular sanitary pads to some selected deprived schools in the Ga-East District to minimise absenteeism from the classroom by girls when it gets to that period of the month.   This they would do in partnership with identified corporate institutions.

In a brief speech to hand over the baton, the outgoing President of the Club, Madam Vivienne Idun-Ogde pledged support to the incoming Board. 

He hoped that they will work assiduously for the betterment of women and girls in Ghana.

The new office bearers are Clara Browne as President, Doris Wunu, Vice President, Samantha Sunkwa-Mills, Treasurer, Patricia Ashong, Assistant Treasurer, Linda Boakye, Secretary, Jenny Adade, Correspondence Secretary.  The Directors include Dorothy Djokoto, Charlotte Ampong-Darkwah and Ruth Opoku-Bamfo.

The swearing-in was supervised by the Zonta International Area Director, Janet Tamaklo.

Zonta International is a leading global organisation of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. 

It envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognised as human rights, a world where women have access to all resources and are represented in decision-making positions on an equal basis with men.