The British High Commission, Canadian High Commission and the French Embassy are proud to announce winners of the third annual Ambassador for a Day (AfD) competition. This is a flagship initiative dedicated to empowering young women to assume leadership roles, advocate for women’s rights and play an active role in diplomacy.

The AfD competition provides winners with an opportunity to spend a day with an ambassador/ high commissioner, as well as engage in other activities with the heads of mission they are matched with. This year, 12 winners have been selected but the 3 who topped the competition, will have the opportunity to shadow the three Heads of Missions. They are:

• Malika Kassim (matched with Canadian High Commissioner)
• Ayisha Bashiru (matched with British High Commissioner)
• Abigail Kyerewaa Baiden (matched with French Ambassador)

All 12 winning candidates will have the opportunity to engage in advocacy activities to engage in leadership, advocacy activities to accelerate the passage and implementation of the Affirmative Action Bill.

The following Heads of Missions will participate in the 2024 AfD competition:

• British High Commissioner, H.E. Harriet Thompson
• Canadian High Commissioner, H.E, Martine Moreau
• French Ambassador, H.E. Jules Armand Aniambossou

Congratulating the winners, the British High Commissioner, H.E. Harriet Thompson said:

Today we celebrate our impressive winners chosen from the hundreds of brilliant applications received. We are highlighting these girls’ stories to demonstrate the importance of girls having an active voice in society.

To the other young women who demonstrated their confidence and potential through their application, well done and every success, as you work towards realising your dreams.

Thank you to all our 9 partners: Power to Girls Foundation, Fulani Youth Association of Ghana (FUYAG), Foundation of Security Development in Africa (FOSDA), UNFPA, CAMFED, PAYDP, the African Leadership Women’s Network (ALWN), the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition Youth Wing and Plan Ghana, for supporting this initiative and for enabling our fantastic participants to take part in the competition.

The AfD competition is part of the British High Commission’s ‘Africa Gender and Equalities Month initiative’, an annual campaign which takes place in March. The aim is to mark and celebrate gender and equality by holding a series of engagements to engage with key stakeholders and to learn from and understand more about gender and equality in today’s Ghana.

On 22 March, all 12 winners will participate in an Awards Ceremony and Mentorship Learning and Sharing Workshop. These winners are:

1. Malika Kassim
2. Ayisha Bashiru
3. Abigail Kyerewaa Baiden
4. Augusta Emefa Agbinku
5. Mohammed Bello Hidaya
6. Rasheeda Ama Aban
7. Priscilla Serwaa Koffie
8. Maubasharatu Abdulai
9. Maame Esi Kum Enimayew
10. Bestina Martins
11. Amdalatu Amidu Atiiru and
12. Cheryl Renée Quaye

The High Commissioners and Ambassador, as well as representatives from 9 Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) and Youth organisations, whose beneficiaries participated in the AfD competition, and winners of AfD 2023, will have the opportunity to meet the 12 winners for the first time at the British High Commissioner’s Residence to interact, network and engage in media activities.

The winners will also serve as Community Based Ambassadors (CBAs), catalysts and champions of change advocating for gender equality and female empowerment within their own communities.