The Arrupe Jesuit Institute (AJI) has outlined plans to expand its advocacy and youth empowerment programmes under a new strategic plan aimed at increasing its impact on Ghanaian society.
The Institute’s Director, Fr Bernard Jado, SJ, and Head of Programmes, Gifty Appea, presented the priorities to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr Arturo Sosa, SJ, during his visit to the Institute in Accra on 13 October 2026.
The presentation reviewed AJI’s work, traced its origins and outlined its priorities under the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan.
Its advocacy programmes will focus on human rights, gender-based violence, child protection, safeguarding, refugee and migrant rights, education and environmental protection.
AJI plans to advance these priorities through policy dialogues, public advocacy campaigns, institutional training and contributions to public debate. It also intends to translate research findings into policy briefs and create opportunities for engagement with policymakers.
Youth empowerment, the second pillar of the plan, will cover leadership development, ethical and civic education, financial empowerment, livelihood initiatives and youth-led community projects.
The Institute also plans to strengthen its alumni network to sustain engagement with young people beyond individual programmes.
AJI has already undertaken environmental advocacy through its Environmental Policy Dialogues, organised in collaboration with the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA-Ghana).
These engagements have addressed illegal small-scale mining, ecological responsibility and the vision outlined in Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’.
The Institute’s research has also explored migration, integral ecology and Christianity in Africa, examining structural injustices and possible responses.
Through its formation programmes, AJI engages Catholic lay professionals and young people on Catholic Social Teaching, ethics and leadership. Its IYNIGO initiative supports youth empowerment, while its Faith in the Public Sphere programme provides a platform for dialogue on Christian witness, professional engagement and the common good.
However, Fr Jado identified limited and unpredictable programme funding, lean staffing and gaps in organisational systems as constraints on the continuity and expansion of the Institute’s work.
To address these challenges, he said AJI was seeking to diversify its funding sources beyond individual projects and strengthen staffing, governance, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management and its digital presence.
He also highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships with universities, other Jesuit institutions, dioceses, Catholic professionals, youth networks and policy actors.
Fr Sosa commended the Institute’s work and encouraged its leadership to pursue financial sustainability to ensure the continuity of its programmes and the long-term fulfilment of its mission.
Conceived in November 2018 as an initiative of the Society of Jesus’ North-West Africa Province, AJI was established as a platform for research, formation and social action.
Named after Jesuit priest Pedro Arrupe, the Institute seeks to analyse challenges facing Ghanaian and African societies and propose solutions informed by Catholic Social Teaching.
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