The British High Commission is proud to announce winners for the fourth annual Ambassador for a Day (AfD) competition; a flagship initiative dedicated to empowering young women to assume leadership roles, advocate for women’s rights and play an active role in diplomacy. This year’s event is being held in partnership with the Barbados High Commission, the Italian Embassy, the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Omni Group of Companies, and Cyndex Limited.
The Ambassador for a Day (AfD) competition provides winners with an opportunity to spend a day with Female Heads of Missions- and for the first time, Female CEOs, as well as engage in other mentorship activities with them.
This year, the six (6) winners who topped the competition were: Fafali Dorgbetor (matched with the British High Commissioner), Emelia Yaabi (matched with the Barbados High Commissioner), Miriam Nasigri (matched with Italian Ambassador), Issahaku Barichisu (matched with the Executive Director of the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce), Deborah Jonah (matched with the Group Managing Director of the Omni Group of Companies) and Nafisa Osman (matched with the CEO of Cyndex Limited). They will have the opportunity to act as Ambassadors and Corporate Executives for a Day. They will also receive soft skills training to strengthen their leadership and advocacy skills.
The following Heads of Missions and Female corporate CEOs will participate as mentors in the 2025 AfD competition – British High Commissioner, H.E. Harriet Thompson, the Barbados High Commissioner, H.E. Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, the Italian Ambassador, H.E. Laura Ranalli, Adjoba Kyiamah – Executive Director of the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Pamela Zormelo – Group Managing Director, Omni Group of Companies, Cynthia Johanna Baffour – Chief Executive Officer of Cyndex Limited.
Congratulating the winners at the Awards Ceremony, the British High Commissioner, H.E. Harriet Thompson said:
Ghana is charting a new course. The Affirmative Action Act and the historic election of your female Vice-President are powerful indicators of your commitment to gender equality. There is however more to do to achieve the full realisation of the tenets of the Affirmative Action Act and beyond.
Ambassador for a Day, with its mentorship component, is a powerful platform to build ambition and momentum for future female leaders. It’s not just a matter of fairness; it’s a matter of national development. Investing in women, who make up over half our population, is an investment in Ghana’s future.
The AfD competition, is part of the British High Commission’s ‘Ghana Gender and Equalities Month initiative;’ an annual campaign which takes place in March – where Ambassadors / High Commissioners and female CEOs unite to inspire and promote the leadership and entrepreneurial potential of selected young women in Ghana, while supporting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) to promote Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, not only as a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
Between March and December all 6 winners will participate in Mentorship Learning and Sharing engagements organised by participating missions and organisations.
The winners will serve as Community Based Ambassadors (CBAs), catalysts and champions of change advocating for gender equality and female empowerment within their own communities.
The British High Commission partnered with Women’s Right and Youth Organisations such as Power to Girls Foundation, Fulani Youth Association of Ghana (FUYAG), Foundation of Security Development in Africa (FOSDA), Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), Plan Ghana, Amnesty International, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Purim African Youth Development Platform (PAYDP), Eclectic Love, African Women Leaders Network (Ghana Chapter) and the Affirmative Action Youth Coalition who allowed the girls to participate in this year’s competition.
