University Student from Ghana Who is Committed to Fighting Early Marriage

By Mary Mwendwa

Nairobi, Kenya: Adelaide Deda Abaidoo is a final year university student of Information Technology at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. She is committed to empowering young girls in her County to get their voices heard and fight early marriages which is rampant in Northern Ghana.

She says that her journey of hope started when she attended community empowerment groups which linked her to other organization that champion women and girls rights in Ghana. One of the organizations that has been instrumental in her life is the Dellcom Charity Foundation which uses Radio mostly to teach and talk to young girls and women in Ghana.

“As a young woman I get to talk to young girls through many forums like radio stations and educate them that they need to stand up and get their voices heard in the fight against early marriages.”

Abaidoo is among several young women and girls who are attending the MaputoAt 20 celebrations in Nairobi organised by the African Women Develoment and Communication Network, FEMNET. She has come together with other participants from African Countries like SierraLeone, Niger, South Africa, Mali, Tanzania among others.

Abaidoo who also runs a foundation and also as an entrepreneur uses her foundation to educate and empower girls through supplying of stationeries to help girls in rural schools of Ghana. She believes that fighting for girls’ education is the only way that early marriages can be avoided in Ghana.

Her foundation is three years old and she believes she will do more for young girls and women as time goes by.

“When our girls get educated more, they will be thinking of pursuing their careers rather than to be married off early before they attain their full potential in life.”

Abaidoo also works with CAMFED which champions for women education in her Country.

She is happy that she has been part of Maputo Protocol at 20 celebrations in Kenya where she has met and interacted with other young girls from the African Continent.

“I never knew about Maputo Protocol, but through FEMNET I have learnt alot and iam now aware of the rights of ryoung girls and women that the framework is fighting for. This forum has been an eye opener for me and iam glad that this is happening and giving women and yung girls a voice.”
“Iam most grateful for this program, and I believe that more girls will be able to make their voices heard, and also get a change to speak for others who may not be able to access various platforms.”