Young and Safe
The city of Ho was identified in the HCA-II Ghana Scoping Study (July 2022) as offering an enabling environment for intervention in adolescent health and wellbeing. Located in the south-eastern part of the country, Ho is the administrative capital and economic hub of Ghana’s Volta region. Adolescents represent approximately 21% of the city’s population and face challenges similar to those in other Ghanaian cities, such as a lack of access to opportunities, activities, spaces and support. This leads to high rates of youth unemployment, teenage pregnancy and increasing drug abuse. Young people also have very limited engagement in Ho’s decision-making institutions.
Despite this, the city presents distinct opportunities for collaboration between city authorities and non-governmental actors, an appetite for digital and technology-focused initiatives and the unique characteristic of having both a technical and a health sciences university in the same city.
Quick facts
Country: ghana
Cities: Ho
Project Timeline
01/02/2026
Project Consortium
Node Eight Foundation (formerly Node Africa) (Lead Partner)
Ho Municipal Assembly
Love Aid Foundation
Ghana Education Service
About the project
Young and Safe aims to create a youth-friendly city by enhancing the overall wellbeing and participation of adolescents in Ho, leveraging relationships with the Ho Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Education Service and other local civil society organisations. It focuses on developing adolescents’ leadership and advocacy skills while strengthening their mental, sexual and cyber health knowledge. Additionally, the project seeks to build digital literacy to improve employability opportunities for young people. By creating spaces for social connection and encouraging creative expression, Young and Safe fosters a supportive environment where adolescents can thrive and contribute to their communities and the city at large.
Key interventions
Youth leadership and advocacy empowerment
Skills development and engagement in activities such as the Youth Policy Hackathon, the first Ho Youth Wellbeing Index, Youth Leadership and Advocacy Training and the Y-Radio show. Consistent interactions with the Ho Municipal Assembly and mentoring young adolescents to take on various roles and positions within the local government.
Access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, mental health and cyber health knowledge
School-based and out of school bootcamps to improve adolescent knowledge and awareness of sexual and reproductive health, mental health and cyber health.
Public space enhancements and opportunities for social connection
Engaging adolescents and other city stakeholders to create youth-friendly public spaces (Ho Youth Park) and express their creativity (Young and Loud creative festival), including Node X (a design thinking bootcamp) to equip adolescents with innovative problem-solving skills.
Digital literacy and employability
Programmes such as Code2Jobs (JESI) and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workshops to enhance digital skills and job readiness.
Project consortium and partnerships
The project consortium is led by Node Eight, a Ho-based digital innovation hub promoting youth entrepreneurship and innovation, and includes LoveAid, a local youth development non-governmental organisation, and public-sector partners – the Ghana Education Service and the Ho Municipal Assembly. These partners provide policy support, access to schools and specialist health knowledge and services. The project also has sub-partners, including the Social Welfare Department, the University of Health and Allied Sciences and the Ghana Health Service.