Over 3,000 students in Junior High and Senior High schools are set to benefit from the third season of the ‘Safety for All Campaign,’ a self-defence and personal safety initiative organised by the sports institution, Candance Academy.
The initiative, with support from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), seeks to use martial arts, among others, to train young people on how to defend themselves, both physically and non-physically, at school, at home, in communities, and now in digital spaces.
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Director of the academy, Madam Hannah Humphrey, said that every day, children in Ghana move through various spaces where risks exist, and many of these risks can be prevented or reduced simply through education, awareness, and the ability to make safe choices.
According to her, season three will see an expanded curriculum and strengthening of partnerships through a child personal safety education module—the Personal Safety Education Module for schools—workshops on digital safety, emotional safety, and community awareness.
“The ambition is to reach more children, more schools, and more communities than ever before.”
She said in seasons 1 and 2, the academy visited numerous schools, engaging thousands of children and teaching them about recognising unsafe situations; understanding personal boundaries; safe behaviour at school, on the road, and online; basic emergency awareness, confidence-building, and responsible decision-making.
She urged government bodies, corporate organisations, and NGOs to help integrate safety education into more schools nationwide, saying that, “every contribution large or small helps a child somewhere to learn how to protect themselves.”
The Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Mr Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, who was the special Guest of Honour, commended the academy for the initiative and recommended it to all schools and parents.
Madam Humphrey, a celebrated Taekwondo athlete, used the occasion to launch her book titled ‘Taekwondo for U,’ written to promote discipline, confidence, and self-defence among young learners.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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