In a heartwarming example of youth-led innovation meeting environmental action, Write for World is bringing hope and opportunity to underserved communities across Ghana through an ambitious skills training program that's as good for the planet as it is for people.

The not-for-profit organization has launched its 2026 Youth Empowered to Thrive Project in partnership with Plan International Ghana, offering young people in 13 rural communities a pathway to economic independence through green entrepreneurship. The program focuses on sustainable, low-cost business opportunities that align perfectly with local resources and environmental needs.

Executive Director Jonas Mabe and his dedicated team identified the opportunity after listening carefully to what young people in these communities really needed. During a monitoring exercise, they discovered that while youth were eager to work, they lacked access to practical job-creation skills. Even more encouraging, they found that young women showed particular enthusiasm for agribusinesses that could generate income while working in harmony with their local environment.

The program offers training in beekeeping and honey production, mushroom cultivation, and snailery, all ventures that require minimal capital investment and use materials readily available in rural areas. This thoughtful approach means participants can start businesses without facing impossible financial barriers.

Already, 60 young people in the Afadzato South District are receiving both theoretical and practical training, learning skills that will support them for years to come. Communities including Ve-Wudome, Liati Teikrom, Liati Dafornu, Liati Soba, Liati Wote, and Tafi-Atome are seeing new possibilities emerge. Seven more communities in the South Tongu Municipality, including Hikpo, Agbogbla, Agbakofe, Kpotame, Atsieve, Dzogborve, and Larve, will soon join the program.

The initiative builds on earlier success too. Earlier this year, 30 young women in the Guan District of the Oti Region completed a Fashion Design and Entrepreneurship Programme, proving the model works.

The Ripple Effect

What makes this program truly special is its comprehensive approach to creating lasting change. Write for World isn't just teaching skills and walking away. They're providing startup materials after training, helping participants form cooperatives, and facilitating crucial market linkages to ensure these new businesses thrive long-term.

The impact extends far beyond individual success stories. By creating local employment opportunities, the program helps reduce poverty-induced social challenges while closing gender equality gaps in these communities. It's environmental action and social progress working hand in hand.

Beneficiary Jessica Barns captured the spirit perfectly, expressing gratitude for acquiring skills that will enable her to support herself through meaningful economic activity. Fellow participant Priscilla Yawson spoke enthusiastically about the job opportunities opening up for her community.

Kweku Ramsey Sikpah from the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development praised the initiative's focus on the 13 to 25 age group, a demographic often overlooked despite their vulnerability and potential.

Over the next 10 months, 120 young people will gain not just skills but confidence, community support, and a sustainable path forward. They're becoming environmental stewards while building their own futures, proving that the solutions to our biggest challenges often start with investing in people and trusting communities to lead their own transformation.