Tamale, Ghana“I found my voice, and now I’m helping other girls find theirs,” says Amina, a young Fulbe girl from Northern Ghana.
In Ghana, Amina and the Fulbe people have long faced exclusion and stigma. This marginalization affects Fulbe girls particularly hard as they often struggle with limited education, early marriage and a lack of opportunities to speak up for themselves.
For Amina and other Fulbe youth, change is unfolding through the Girls’ Caucus, a training program led by Youth Empowerment for Life-Ghana (YEFL), a local NGO.
It began with a Fulbe youth leadership boot camp in March 2023 organized by YEFL-Ghana in collaboration with the USAID Office of Transition Initiatives’ Littorals Regional Initiative. They quickly observed that only 30 percent of participants were female, and the girls faced challenges expressing themselves and engaging with their male peers, highlighting the deep-rooted cultural barriers that hinder female interaction in mixed social settings.
Recognizing this critical gap, the USAID/OTI Littorals Regional Initiative and YEFL-Ghana launched the Girls’ Caucus training — a targeted intervention designed to address the unique challenges faced by Fulbe girls. The program created safe spaces where girls could openly discuss issues such as a lack of access to education, early marriages and gender stereotypes.
Six Fulbe girls were selected to become leaders and trained in February 2024. With YEFL-Ghana’s support, the six leaders trained an additional 34 girls from across the five regions of Northern Ghana. The training covered important topics like personal development, public speaking, advocacy, and leadership skills — tailored specifically to meet the needs and cultural context of Fulbe girls.
“Before the training, I was hesitant to express my opinions,” admits Amina, who was one of the 34 Fulbe youth trained. “The conservative culture in our community often silences girls. Now, I feel empowered to speak up and make a difference.”
Fatima, another participant, echoes Amina’s feelings.
“I’ve learned how to identify stakeholders and advocate for our community’s needs,” says Fatima. “It’s already making a difference in how we address issues like access to education, which has been a longstanding problem for Fulbe girls.”
The impact was immediate and far-reaching. What started as a group of 40 girls has now grown to include 80 participants across five regions. They stay connected through WhatsApp, holding weekly meetings to interact, exchange ideas, offer mutual support, provide updates on new initiatives and seek advice from peers.
Their voices lead to action
Having found their voices, these girls are now taking action in their communities. They have conducted community outreach programs on crucial topics such as health and education, breaking down barriers that have long kept Fulbe girls from accessing these basic rights. Abiba Jallo, a Girls’ Caucus member, says even simple actions are having a major impact on Fulbe girls.
“We engaged some young Fulbe girls and spoke about personal hygiene,” she says. “They were so eager for information that they’ve been asking us to come back and discuss more issues. It’s clear that there’s a huge hunger for knowledge and empowerment.”
One of the most significant outcomes has been the Girls’ Caucus members’ efforts to combat forced and early marriages — a persistent issue in the community. Members have taken it upon themselves to educate young Fulbe girls about the consequences of these practices. In a few instances, they have even intervened to rescue girls from forced marriages.
“After the Girls’ Caucus training, I have been posting some educational issues regarding the training I had on my WhatsApp status and a girl from my village reached out to get advice on what to do and how to approach the issue of getting married to an elderly man,” recounts Abiba, who was one of the 34 trainees.
Abiba’s outreach is not unique. Another Girls’ Caucus member, Mohammed Nafisa, faced a similar experience in a village.
“We were on our community sensitization trip and a parent (mother) engaged us to help rescue her daughter who was about to be given out to an elderly man for marriage,” Nafisa says. “Currently, the girl is in Tamale learning a trade.”
Building partnerships
The initiative has also opened doors to partnerships with organizations like Catholic Relief Services, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and Amplio Ghana, creating employment opportunities for Fulbe youth. Through YEFL-Ghana’s support and recommendations, some of the girls are now working as enumerators for the CRS’ Prevention of Violent Extremism through Social Accountability (PoVETSA) Project, while others are engaged as community representatives in a WANEP project — roles that were previously out of reach for many Fulbe youth, especially girls.
The Girls’ Caucus is even changing how Fulbe communities view leadership. The girls held online elections to choose their leaders, they are meeting with community elders and gaining support for their work — a significant achievement in a traditionally patriarchal society.
“We’re not just changing individual lives; we’re transforming the future of the entire Fulbe community,” one Fulbe youth leader says of their efforts.
This success story shows the power of targeted, culturally aware programs. By investing in Fulbe girls, USAID/OTI and YEFL-Ghana are tackling deep-rooted problems. They’re building a brighter, more inclusive future for an entire community.
Amina, Fatima and their peers are proof. Given the right tools and support, Fulbe girls can become powerful voices for change. Their success inspires us all and shows what’s possible when we invest in young women’s potential.
