Oppong Nyantakyi

Profile

I am an open-minded and easy-going person. I tend to think quite analytically and can be observant, which sometimes means I tend to be a bit quiet especially around people I have not met before. I strive to always lead by example and give nothing but my best in everything I do.

I do not like talking about myself unless I must. I have been told that I do not give enough credit to myself as I often downplay my achievements. I am a strong believer in teamwork. I give careful attention to practical details and am always open to new ideas. I like to meet new people, and learning new things.

I like to spend time with people who have positive energy, and I value honesty in my friends. I am focused and driven in my work and can adapt easily, depending on the situation. I love spending time with family and friends. I am a lover of nature and enjoy watching sports.

I work with Cheerful Hearts Foundation, a nonprofit, grassroots organization that focuses on combating child labor and trafficking in rural fishing communities within the Central Region of Ghana.

We do this through advocacy, education, and health initiatives as well as child educational support programs to address the root cause of child labour and trafficking. One of the organization’s main aims is to empower youth through skills and leadership training, and sports programs so that they can develop their potential and take positive actions to make sustainable impacts in their communities. We also provide volunteer opportunities that allow people to join and support our efforts to impact sustainable change.

I serve as a project and volunteers coordinator where I actively advocate for the rights of children and oversee that our project activities are effectively developed and implemented. The projects I have worked on are focused on addressing social issues in our local communities that affect child rights, health, and education. I lead project teams to design and implements interventions to promote community education on the rights of children, the dangers of child labor and trafficking, and the importance of education. I also lead projects that promote the delivery of quality education in local schools, and various health outreach programs to promote effective health practice. I coordinate with stakeholders and partners to secure support and cooperation.

I also spend a lot of time monitoring and mentoring my team members, including international and local volunteers and interns. An important aspect of my work is that we work closely with people within the communities in which we serve with due diligence.

I love that I can positively contribute and address some of the social issues in my community and make a positive impact on the lives of people through my work.

My colleagues also motivate me a lot, and they were a big factor in how my passion grew from the start. There is nothing more encouraging than knowing that I am making a difference through my work while engaging with a collaborative team of dedicated and selfless people. 

One of my biggest inspirations is the people in the communities with which I work. I am privileged that I get to hear the stories of people in my community and that they allow me to be part of the solution. I feel fortunate that they share with me their stories about how they navigate life and that I get to connect with people on a deeper level. These stories inspire me to appreciate life every day. 

Another definite highlight of my work is being able to spend time with and motivate the youth and children in my community; they can be so inspiring.

One of my proudest accomplishments was initiating a reading program.

It was through this program that our Student Tutoring And Reading (STAR) club was established, which has supported children in the less privileged communities to cultivate healthy reading habits, enhance reading, and improve their learning. This club allowed a safe and fun learning space for children to go to after school.

I have also initiated the teacher’s training program, which strives to provide practical training for teachers in deprived communities to improve teaching and learning practices. Over 60 teachers have received training and it was exciting to see them implementing what they learned in their classrooms. Many of the teachers participating had never received any formal training before.

Through our advocacy project, we have provided education on the rights of children, child rights law: both local and international, and the importance of education to over 20,000 people, including opinion leaders, teachers, parents and children within three fishing communities in the central region of Ghana. This resulted in higher school enrollment and increased awareness of the dangers and the detrimental impact of child labour and trafficking on children and the community at large.

We have trained and supported over 500 youth in the communities we serve and ultimately empower them to enact positive changes. They are enacting positive changes in their communities not only within the scope of the project but also for years to come in the future. They now have become fully aware of the extent of the social issues in their communities and understood the role they could play as young leaders in social change. 

We have also provided young women with vocational and leadership training through our Women Entrepreneurial and Leadership Development (WELD) program. With this training, we have supported young women at risk of forced labour to gain a lifetime skills which will enable them to: start their business or gain employment, and strengthen their resilience against child labour and trafficking as young leaders for social change.

I feel we all have a responsibility in making the world a better place.

I am not looking to change the world, but at least what I do, can actively contribute to addressing some of the social issues I witness every day. I believe it is not only enough to be just concern about the inequalities and social injustice everywhere. We need positive actions to impact the change we seek so it is important to me that my work can inspire and empower people to take actions geared towards social change. I am happy that my little effort can make a great impact.

You do not have to do a big thing, but I believe a little thing in a great way can make a big difference. There is an African saying: “I am because we all are.” To me, this means that we are all responsible for the world we live in and contribute positively.