Resilient City for Adolescents

Sunyani, the capital of Ghana’s Bono Region, was identified for intervention in the HCA-II Ghana Scoping Study (July 2022). As a centrally located and rapidly growing intermediary city, Sunyani hosts over 60% of the region’s population. However, its urban growth has outpaced investments in infrastructure and social services, resulting in slum growth, congestion, service delivery gaps and increased vulnerabilities – particularly among adolescents.

Despite being a significant demographic group, adolescents in Sunyani face systemic exclusion from social, economic and decision-making processes. Many are out of school due to teenage pregnancy, poverty and unemployment, while vulnerable groups – especially female head porters (kayayei) – endure unsafe living conditions and limited access to shelter, health care and sanitation. These factors contribute to rising mental health issues, substance abuse, HIV prevalence and economic insecurity.

At the same time, the city offers strong potential for cross-sector collaboration among government, civil society, academia and the private sector to promote adolescent health and wellbeing.