Elizabeth Akua Nyarko Patterson, the Vlisco Ambassador for 2015 and founder of the Girls Education Initiative of Ghana (GEIG), has been selected as one of the top 30 under-30 pioneers by the Future of Ghana Initiative.
The initiative, which was launched in 2014, showcases emerging Ghanaian talents from around the world and is made up of young Ghanaians who are passionate about mobilising and inspiring other young Ghanaians to use their creativity, skills and talents for the development of Ghana.
The nomination process began on November 1, 2014 and closed on December 30, 2014.
The top 30 were independently selected by the 2015 Future of Ghana panel of judges, and the selection was based on content provided by nominators and the guiding nomination criteria made public at the start of the campaign.
Elizabeth was selected due to her work with GEIG, an organisation she founded in 2013 to provide academic and financial support to girls, with a special focus on applicants with special needs so that they may access higher education and professional opportunities.
GEIG’s vision is to transform the lives of young women in Ghana and work towards greater development and poverty reduction in the country by offering higher education and professional opportunities to untapped talents.
Her personal experience played a huge role in compelling her to start GEIG. In her final year in high school, she was involved in a life-changing car accident from which she suffered a traumatic brain injury that affected her cognitive and intellectual abilities. Additionally, after several experiences in Ghana where she saw the disparity between boys and girls with regard to education, coupled with academic research into access to education for children with disabilities, she started GEIG and made sure that at least 10% of students admitted had special needs.
The foundation offers various programmes including academic support, a leadership development programme, a public service programme and project impact. Currently GEIG is supporting 13 girls through their primary education in Kumasi.
As part of planned activities for this year, Elizabeth was one of several other panellists who took part in a discussion at the Future of Ghana Youth Leadership Forum held from August 3 to 5, 2015. Young leaders in Ghana converged for the annual Future of Ghana Youth Leadership Forum organised by Me Firi Ghana at the renowned Ashesi University College campus in Berekuso.
The leadership forum is an opportunity created to meet and grow networks of like-minded individuals as well as discuss how to contribute to Ghana’s economic growth.
During her tenure as the Vlisco Ambassador, Elizabeth will work with Vlisco to create awareness, through their anti-counterfeiting campaign, on how to differentiate between a real Vlisco product and a fake. She will also be involved in the Vlisco Tailor Academy, an integrated tailoring education programme for talented, underprivileged and motivated girls.