In a historic first for the Takla Electoral Area in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region, a woman has been elected as its Assembly Member in the year 2023. Anna Lanyo’s inspiring victory, along with the success of three other female Unit Committee members, marks a pivotal moment of change in community leadership. This transformation was made possible through the Action for Voice, Influence and Inclusive Development (AVID) Project, a vital initiative by GLOWA sponsored by the Flora and Hewlett Foundation through STAR-Ghana Foundation.
Anna Lanyo’s journey to leadership was fraught with setbacks. In two previous attempts, she was met with resistance and doubt from a community that did not believe a woman could successfully lead them. However, a key intervention by GLOWA, through a series of sensitization and training sessions, began to shift these long-held perceptions. Anna herself credits this project for her success, explaining how the training gave the community the confidence to believe in her. “Before GLOWA came, I had difficulty winning because people didn’t believe in me as a woman. After GLOWA’s sensitization, the community began to believe in the leadership of a woman and gave me the opportunity to lead them,” she recalls.
The ripple effect of GLOWA’s work extended beyond Anna’s own victory. The same empowerment and training that propelled her to success also inspired three other women (Doris Klutse, Mawuse Kwame, and Dziedzorm Adiko) to step forward and successfully contest for Unit Committee positions. As Doris Klutse shares, the training provided by GLOWA empowered her to recognize the need for women to enter politics.
These women are not just leaders in name; they actually brought about tangible, positive change to their community. They have successfully lobbied to ensure the needs of their community are officially captured in the Ho Municipal Assembly’s Medium-Term Plan, a crucial step for development. In addition, they have taken the initiative to institute the collection of market tolls and business permits to actively contribute to the development of their electoral area.
As trailblazers, these women proved that with the right support, women and girls can aspire beyond traditional domestic roles. Their story serves as a powerful testament to the impact of the AVID Project in empowering women, dismantling gender barriers, and fostering a new generation of female leaders who are actively building a better community.
