SuperGirls go to Ghana
GrassROOTS Community Foundation Super Girls Briana, Amina and Marley (BAM) to Serve as Wellness Ambassadors to Support African Health Now Public Health Initiative
NEWARK, December 9, 2015 – On December 20th, GrassROOTS Community Foundation (GCF) SuperGirls will travel from New Jersey to Accra, Ghana to serve as humanitarian wellness ambassadors. The girls, affectionately known as BAM (Briana, Amina and Marley) are members of GrassROOTS Super Camp, a leadership camp for Black girls.
Invited by African Health Now (AHN), the BAM girls will participate in AHN’s Gift of Life Health Fair in Accra, the capital of the West African nation of Ghana. African Health Now is a community development organization working to promote and provide information and accessibility to primary health care screenings and education. Over the past 10 years, African Health Now has conducted free health fairs in various communities (Pokuase, Tema Station, Kumasi, and Agbogbloshie) throughout Ghana. The Gift of Life Christmas health fair takes place on December 22nd and provides free comprehensive access to health and social services to women, children and families in the communities.
Nana Eyeson, President of AHN said, “The goals of our health fair is to combat the rising number of deaths due to preventable illnesses by raising awareness about the major silent killers of people in the developing world, and by educating and empowering individuals to take a more active role in managing their primary health.”
During the 10-day long ambassador trip, the girls will experience the nation’s rich culture by visiting historical sites including Elmina Castle, the Dubois Center and a local school. “Giving selflessly is critical to building character in young people. It is a dream come true to accompany the BAM girls on their trip where they get to be the change they want to see in the world, especially during the season of giving,” said Lisa Maxwell Anekwe, Global Marketing Director at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare and GrassROOTS Board Member. This visit is the first step in what GCF and African Health Now hopes to be an annual exchange.
“We are working to reduce and eliminate structural inequality that exists in our communities in the US and abroad. Health disparities are much higher for women and girls regardless of where you go. We want our girls to understand these issues to be a global dilemma. This trip is a chance for them to grow as individuals and future social activists,” says Dr. Janice Johnson Dias, President of GrassROOTS.
