On March 9, 2008, nine hundred people got on their bicycles to ride through Bolgatanga, Ghana, in an event dubbed “I Ride for Development”. Just 15 kilometres away, ethnic fighting in the Bawku municipality had allegedly claimed the lives of almost 30 people, according to the Red Cross.

A curfew had been imposed on the municipality to curb the violence.

The day after the bike ride, 19 000 people gathered for a “Northern Legends Concert” at St. John’s Park to promote the message of peace and skills development to the youth of Ghana.

The two events were organised for the launch of the expansion of the “Debate to Action” initiative into the northern regions of Ghana.

Debate to Action is an initiative of the British Council and the World Bank Group, which aims to equip young community leaders with the necessary skills to lead their organisations and communities towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and their country’s specific Poverty Reduction Goals.

The project is also running in other African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

The Ghanaian pilot project was launched in August 2006, and put young leaders, aged 18 to 35, through training that focussed on the MDGs as well as the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS). The pilot project’s one-year training programme focussed on key development issues.

After training, the project helped young participants create and implement their own training programmes in youth and community organisations.

The programme, which has experienced great success, is now expanding into the northern part of Ghana, despite recent conflict in the area. British Council in Ghana project manager, Diana Yanney, says Debate to Action used the pre-planned concert as an opportunity to promote peace. “[Ghanaian musician] Samini and other musicians from the area used their influence to preach peace to the youth and to encourage them to put their guns down and pick up skills to help them have better lives and job opportunities.”

The concert was supported by several donors, including the Ghanaian government and private companies. Several artists waived their performance fees. Yanney says she was amazed at the amount of people who attended. “The concert was the biggest thing that’s happened in the area for the last 15 years! Even political party rallies have never had such large turnouts!”

Other events that took place as part of the launch included the inauguration of a Community Information Centre and a Regional National Service Office equipped with computers and the Internet. Schools’ Savings Clubs were launched, and a leadership training seminar and facilitator workshops took place.

Bolgatanga youth mentor Ayina Akolgo called the project’s launch “very timely”. She spoke of the importance of spreading the good work of the project. “In this part of the country, female education is most often seen as a waste of resources. But through my work, I have been able to influence a man to send his daughter to school. To me, that was a great achievement. One influence can cause a chain reaction.”

The British Council in Ghana reports that the positive effect of the project has rippled through communities. They quote the mother of one of the young leaders taking part in the DTA launch events:  “We have had a lot of difficulties in recent times. I have a daughter who cannot see anything good in this region. Her negative attitude not only affects her but all her relations as well.

“I am happy to see her positive attitude after she joined one of DTA’s youth groups. Her upbeat attitude is quite infectious. Knowing how to create wealth in your immediate environment is an education we all need.”

Young leaders who take part in the programme are expected to create awareness about the MDGs, and develop initiatives in their own communities that contribute to the attainment of poverty reduction and development.

Felicia Nyame, British Council press liaison in Ghana, said that this was the most inspiring consequence of the programme. “I think it was a phenomenal achievement in the Upper East. One could hear most of the youth talking about MDGs in connection with the GPRS [and the] maintenance and sustainability of development projects. The future is indeed bright.”

British Council Senior Development Manager for Youth in Africa and the Middle East, Stephen Agyei, praised the organisers of the programme for the successful launch. He said that the new expansion of the programme builds on the successes of the pilot projects. “We have actually maximized the impact, the reach in many ways has achieved the objectives of the programme. DTA-Upper East Region has taken off in a massive way that will unquestionably bring about the right outcome for our young people. I believe the sky is the limit.”

If you are interested in joining Debate to Action or attending some of its events, contact our offices in your country (UK, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya). You can also find out about our upcoming events in Africa or our other services by using the top navigation bar of our site.