I had an amazing day at the Women’s Park in
the Miami – Dade County today. It was everything I did not expect and I liked
it. The rains did not allow our team to go out and enjoy the beautiful scenery
and sunshine (which I have learnt to value now that I am here) but I had the
most exciting time meeting the amazing girls partaking in the Girls Empowerment
and Mentoring (GEM) programme while learning about a phenomenal woman Roxcy
O’Neal Bolton, a woman of distinction. We went to the park as part of our
community service component of our programme on the Washington Fellowship.
When I saw the advertisement for the
Washington Fellowship in December, 2013 I knew I wanted to be a part of it,
however I was unsure if I wanted to get my heartbroken again. I was recovering
from not getting into a highly competitive PhD programme. Plus I reason that
there would be thousands of applications (and there was; 50, 000 of them).
Would I stand a chance?
In the end I decided that I should at least
give myself the chance. So I did. In March, 2014 I received a call and then was
interviewed a few days later for the fellowship. Then on the 8th of
April, 2014 I got mail. I was officially a Washington Fellowship finalist. The
rest is history.
My professor at the University of
Gloucestershire, Prof. Lindsey McEwen taught me to celebrate my successes, to
relax, to reflect and to give myself the chance. When we met I was a
twenty-three year old with a first class degree in Natural Resources Management
looking to learn and gain practical experience. So as my instructor on my
Masters programme she asked that I submit my curriculum vitae so that she would
help me to gain the practical experience I wanted. The c.v. simply said the
basics about me, so she asked what class I graduated with and I replied that I
graduated as the top girl in my Fisheries and Watershed Management option class
of 2008. I did not think it was important to place it on my curriculum vitae
because for me it would come across as a show off. She simply said to me
“...Afua Prempeh, no one is going to blow your horn for you...”.
Why work so hard and play it down? How was I
going to get my foot in the door or expect someone to give me a fair chance
when I was not giving myself a fair chance?
I think there is something fundamentally not
right with the way society socializes women not only in Ghana but in Africa and
around the world. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being competent and
excellent at what you do. And there is no shame in being confident and
acknowledging that you are good at something.
The Washington Fellowship has shown me that the
African continent has an amazing resource that hitherto has not been mined and
explored in the most effective manner - Intelligent
and talented women; Women who are passionate about the future of
our communities, nations, Africa and the world!
So I dedicate this piece to all the women
participating in the Washington Fellowship 2014. Let us empower other women by sharing
our stories, experiences and encouraging other women to work hard and be confident
in whom they are. You are an inspiration and an example to all women that:
YES, YOU CAN!
Afua joined the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana in 2011 as a Program Officer and has worked in the Strategic Environmental Assessment Unit. She currently works with the education team of the Western Regional office of the Agency, which educates the general public on pertinent environment challenges and the need for members of communities to take an active part in environmental management. She works as a member of the technical review committee in the regional office to review and critically analyze developmental applications, preliminary and annual environmental reports. The committee makes recommendations aimed at minimizing the likely negative social and environmental impacts of undertakings.
She has effective communication, training, analytical and research skills and an understanding of environmental legislation. Afua Prempeh holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Gloucestershire, UK, and a BSc in Natural Resources Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana and a Certificate in Policies, Strategies and Support Systems for Rural Revitalization from the Weitz Centre for Development Studies in Israel.
