StanChart impacts lives of 10,000 Ghanaian girls as it celebrates 5th anniversary of GOAL project 

Standard Chartered Bank Ghana, through the GOAL project initiative, has impacted the lives of over 10,000 girls and young women from low-income households and deprived communities in the country.

The GOAL project launched by Standard Chartered Bank Ghana in 2017, teaches girls critical knowledge and skills related to health, communication, rights and managing their personal finances through four key modules: Be Yourself, Be Healthy, Be Empowered and Be Money Savvy.

Speaking at the fifth anniversary celebration of the GOAL Project in Ghana, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Standard Chartered Ghana, Mansa Nettey, quipped the project is aimed at bridging the existing gender equality gap in the country.

“As a bank, we recognise that gender equality is critical to economic growth, and we believe that we are uniquely positioned to help bridge the gender gap. 

“There are many women and girls that still face challenges, especially lack of education. And this is mainly due to cultural biases and gender based violence, limiting their personal growth and economic freedom,” she remarked.

“We cannot over-emphasize the need for strategic action to empower and equip girls with basic knowledge that will enable them make the right choices regarding education, health and well-being, providing the necessary physical and psychological safety nets and other elements girls need to ultimately contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.

Also speaking at the fifth anniversary celebration ceremony was Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum, who averred Ghana has achieved gender parity in the primary and junior high schools with the country expected to further achieve gender parity in senior high schools by 2023.

“We’ve attained gender parity in our primary and junior high schools and now we are getting close to attaining gender parity at the secondary level. 

“Go to every primary and junior high school and select  200 students, out of the 200 you’re going to see that 99 will be girls and 101 will be boys. If you enter the high schools, 92 out of 200 will girls, so girls are getting the same opportunities as boys and that’s a great accomplishment,” he observed.

Speaking further, the Minister reiterated government’s stance to build more STEM schools particularly for girls to encourage the adoption of science and maths related professions among women.

The Goal programme is the flagship education programme within Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the bank’s global initiative to tackle inequality and promote economic inclusion.

Goal uses sport, play and life skills education to transform the lives of adolescent girls around the world.

Since its launch in 2006, Goal has grown into an internationally recognised global movement operating in 24 countries.

Managed by Women Win and implemented by organisations around the world, the programme teaches girls critical knowledge and skills related to health, communication, rights and managing their personal finances through four key modules: Be Yourself, Be Healthy, Be Empowered and Be Money Savvy.

Between 2006 and 2022, the programme has reached more than 735,000 girls and young women. Its aim is to reach 1 million girls by 2023.