She Had the Will. You Gave Her the Way

By Ernestina Esinam Glikpo, Communications Manager

Franklina, at just 23 years old, is demonstrating that young women in rural Ghana can overcome obstacles and thrive with the right support and a little courage.

Franklina’s journey began at Toase Senior High School in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, where she joined the Self-Help International Agriculture Club in 2024. She didn’t know it then, but those after-school meetings and hands-on lessons later became her lifeline.

“I learned so much in the agric club,” Franklina recalls. “It wasn’t just theory—we got to practice farming the right way. Pegging, row planting, soil preparation…everything.”

When Franklina completed school that same year, reality hit hard. With no job offers and not even a position as a pupil teacher—often the go-to for recent graduates—she faced a crossroads. But instead of sitting idle or waiting for an opportunity that might never come, she made a bold choice: she packed up and traveled to her father’s village.

Her father, like many others in the region, had left the family farm to pursue work in illegal mining (locally known as galamsey), leaving behind an idle piece of land. Franklina saw possibility in that land.

Drawing on the knowledge she gained from the agriculture club, she surveyed the village and discovered that okra (or okro, as it’s known locally) was in high demand. It was fast-moving in the market and a favorite in local dishes. But there was a challenge—funding. She couldn’t afford to hire many laborers. So, determined to start small, she cleared and prepared just one acre of her father’s two-acre farm.

With a few leftover okra seeds she found in the house, Franklina began her farming journey during the minor season. She planted in rows, followed all the techniques she had learned, and prayed for the best. It wasn’t easy.

“There was heavy rain,” she says. “The flood nearly wiped out everything I planted. Insects were everywhere. I had no money for chemicals. And I was doing most of the work myself.”

But her hard work paid off. When harvest season arrived, Franklina harvested an astonishing 28 big bowls of okra, each selling for GHS 700.00 ($45.14). That’s nearly GHS 20,000.00 ($1289.82).

She smiles when she talks about it. “I couldn’t believe it. I was just praying it would work. I remembered everything my teachers taught me. That saved me.”

Franklina’s gratitude is deeply rooted. She credits her success to the agriculture club teachers, the Self-Help International team, and especially the teacher who encouraged her to join the club in the first place.

Today, she is expanding. With her earnings, Franklina has reinvested in her farm and is now cultivating two and a half acres of land. Her dream? To grow her farm into a model enterprise and inspire other young girls in her community to see agriculture not as a last resort, but as a real path to financial independence.

Franklina’s story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when education, opportunity, and determination meet. With the right support, young women like Franklina can change the course of their lives—and their communities.

Programs like the Self-Help International Agric Club don’t just teach farming—they build futures. They plant seeds of hope that grow into stories like Franklina’s. Imagine how many more Franklinas are out there, just waiting for a chance to shine. Thank you for giving her the way to thrive. 

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