Accra is gearing up for the 2026 edition of Health for The Streets (H4DS) and the Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Programme (YEEP) scheduled for Wednesday, August 6, 2026 at 7:00 AM at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park.

Organized by the Public Health Alliance International Ghana (PHAIG), the day will deliver free healthcare services, free NHIS registration, Ghana Card registration, and comprehensive health screenings.

The programme was officially launched on July 22, 2026 at the Marriott Hotel, Accra.

Speaking at the launch, Executive Director of PHAIG, Dr. Isaac Nuamah said the initiative is aimed at empowering street-connected and underserved youth through health advocacy, entrepreneurship training, and sustainable opportunities.

“There is a strong link between health and economic stability,” Dr. Nuamah said.

According to him, “Instead of only providing medical care and waiting a year to rescreen, we are adding entrepreneurship so they can start something for themselves.”

He added that in addition to medical care, beneficiaries will receive skills training, mentorship, and in some cases financial support to start businesses.

“We will provide medical care and empower them through training. We are calling on corporate organizations and individuals to support us,” he urged.

Dr. Nuamah revealed that the pilot phase of the programme will cost $500,000. He appealed to individuals and corporate Ghana to partner with PHAIG to support the cause.

The initiative builds on PHAIG’s Health for the Streets outreach, which focuses on improving the health and livelihoods of vulnerable and street-connected youth.

The launch brought together notable personalities including former Black Stars defender Anthony Baffoe, actor Edward Kuffour, Ghanaian music icon Okyeame Kwame, Dennis Amui, Head of Operations at GOIL, and other distinguished dignitaries.

PHAIG says it is ready to welcome hundreds of youth on August 6 for a day of health, empowerment, and new opportunities.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

Mr Issahak Ibrahim, the Atwima Mponua District Chief Executive (DCE), has stressed the need to invest in initiatives that will encourage school children to read at all times. 

He said a nation that invested in reading invested in its future, since a reading child was a potential future leader. 

Speaking at the District Reading Festival for 32 schools in the district, at Nyinahin, he said reading strengthened literacy skills and inspired young leaders to unlock their full potentials while nurturing a lifelong love for learning, which leads to success. 

Mr Ibrahim, therefore, enjoined teachers, parents, pupils and all stakeholders in the district to inspire every child to discover the limitless possibilities that begin with the act of reading in order to make it reflect the shared commitment to building a generation of confident readers, critical thinkers and lifelong learners in the society. 

He pledged his commitment to support and empower more children and help them to achieve higher educational laurels in the area, while championing the cause of reading among children to achieve the related benefits. 

“I remain committed to supporting educational initiatives that would empower our children with the knowledge and skills they needed to succeed in an ever-changing world,” he stated. 

The festival was organised by the District Directorate of Education in conjunction with the ISMAT Foundation, a local educational non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded by the DCE, to support needy learners in the district and beyond. 

The festival was under the theme: “Turn a page to begin a journey.” 

The festival was aimed at encouraging and motivating the interest of pupils in reading and general learning. 

All the 32 participating pupils from four zones within the district received school bags, exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, mathematical sets and certificates. 

Lawal Kwame from the Botrampa D/A Basic and Sadique Bamba from the Mpasatia African Faith Preparatory schools in the Nyinahin Zone, emerged first in the KG One and two classes, whilst Alice Fosu, Beatrice Sarfowaa and Priscilla Agyemang from the Adiembra Anglican Basic School also in the Nyinahin Zone, came first from Basic One to Basic Three classes respectively.  

Ernest Duah from the Mampong Abebrese D/A and Blessing Sika from the Sreso Presby School in the Sreso Zone as well as Eric Osei Agyemang from Adiembra Anglican Basic School came first in the Upper Primary department. 

Ms Ama Adwubi Asafu-Adjaye, the District Director of Education, commended the DCE for the programme, which was the first of its kind after the year 2022 one, which was supported by the USAID. 

She said a Basic One boy called Obed Awuku from Mampong Abebrese D/A Basic School climbed from the district through a Regional contest, won and placed second at the national level in the year 2022 as one Salam Mohammed of the Otaakrom D/A Islamic Basic School, who also emerged as the 2024 winner in the district also placed fifth among the 16 regional participants even though they had a very short notice for preparation. 

She said other achievements encouraged her and her management to make the programme an annual event in June and July as part of the activities on their academic calendar and a source of pride for the district. 

She, therefore, encouraged the teachers to work harder to produce talented kids for higher achievements from the area. -GNA