By Rahinatu Haruna
President, Voices of Youth Coalition Wa.
Life has an interesting way of sweeping you off your feet. You start something small, and before you know it, it is taking you places you never imagined. That is exactly how my journey with YOTA – Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa has been.
It all started when I applied to volunteer under the Youth on Board project launched by YOTA in 2022 to engender youth voices in Ghana’s education response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little did I know I was signing up for a rollercoaster of leadership, advocacy, and serious personal growth. My peers voted me President of the Wa municipal wing of the Voices of Youth Coalition, the youth body responsible for driving the advocacy focus of the project in various municipalities across the country. That is when I realized that leadership is not just about titles; it is hard work, responsibility, and plenty of challenges.
And when I say challenges, I mean real ones! There were moments I was frustrated, overwhelmed, and even cried. Nathan, one of our trainers on YOTA’s team, can testify to all the times I called him to rant about something not going the way we planned! But through it all, I stayed the course because the work we were doing was too important to give up.
One of our biggest wins? Advocating for the re-enrollment of teenage mothers in school. Too many young girls were forced to drop out after pregnancy, with no hope of returning. However, through our efforts, we pushed for change, engaged stakeholders, and ensured these girls had the chance to continue their education.
Then came the next big opportunity, going through a competitive selection process to represent the entire VOYC in Denmark. Me? From Wa to Copenhagen? Wow! That experience opened my eyes to the bigger picture of youth leadership, governance, and advocacy on a global scale.
And now? I’ve moved from being a programme volunteer to sitting on YOTA’s Board of Directors as a youth representative. From filling out that application form in Wa to influencing decisions at the highest level of the organization. It has been a journey of growth, learning, and impact.
A huge thank you to the amazing YOTA team and everyone who has been part of my journey. Your support, mentorship, and encouragement have shaped the leader I am today. I remain deeply grateful to the organization for giving me the platform, challenging me to step up, and never letting me doubt the power of young people to create real change.
We are not done yet. There is still so much work to be done. More policies to challenge, more young voices to uplift, and more barriers to break. Because one thing I know for sure – young people are not just the future, we are the NOW!
