First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo on Thursday urged parents to ensure that their girls are either sent to school or acquired a vocation that will enable them to be better placed in society.

She said when girls attained formal education, they were able to do “something better with their lives and thereby chart a better future that will improve their social life.”

According to Mrs Akufo-Addo, the free SHS currently underway in the country was a good enough ground for all girls of school going age to be enrolled in schools.

She said those who for one reason or the other, could not go to school should take advantage of her “Because I want to Be” initiative and learn a vocation that would make them more responsible adults in the future.

Mrs Akufo-Addo was speaking at the launch of the “Because I want to be” Initiative, in the Teshie and La communities of the Greater Accra region.

The initiative, is a mentorship and skills provision programme, providing skills like hairdressing, fashion designing, make-up, catering as well mentoring for both in-school and school dropout girls.

It was being implemented by the Rebecca Foundation in collaboration with the UNFPA within some communities in the Greater Accra Region, including, Jamestown, Bukom, Chorkor and Prampram areas.

The First Lady said the Rebecca Foundation decided to roll out the “Because I Want to be initiative” to mentor and help build the confidence of girls, so they could attain the highest levels in society, whether they go to school or learn a vocation.

She explained that as a mother, she expected both girls and boys to be in school and acquire knowledge and skills that could put them on a pedestal that accelerate their overall development.

She said because education was important, parents should ensure that both their boys and girls stayed in school to develop their intellect.

Ms Erika Goldson, Deputy Country Representative of the UNFPA, said the girls Mentorship programme was in tandem with the mission of her organisation, hence they deemed it right to partner the First Lady who was doing “impactful” programmes to better the lots of children and women in the country.

She said the free education being provided at the basic and secondary school levels in Ghana was laudable programmes, adding that the provision of free education was “an amazing thing any nation can give to its people’.

Ms Goldson urged the community members to support the “Because I want to be programme” so that the girls and society could benefit from it.

Dr Bernard Oko Boye, Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency, and Madam Evelyn Twum Gyamera, Municipal Chief Executives, all lauded the mentorship Initiative and pledged their support for it.

At the La launch, Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei, MP for La Dadekotopon, described the Girls Initiative as a great programme that would bring much relief and enlightenment to the girls in the constituency.

He also pledged his support for the initiative, noting that, he would setup local structures that would help identify young girls in need of the assistance.

The programme attracted many community members, including; some chiefs and elders of both two communities, who pledged to support the programme.