The Charity Amoa Memorial School has emerged as the winner of the 2026 Build Me a Future (BMAF) Competition, taking home a cash prize of GH¢5,000.00. The competition, spearheaded by the Centre for Learning and Childhood Development (CLCD), aimed to give children a platform to express their development aspirations and contribute to decisions affecting their communities. The school's creative presentation of a child-friendly community earned them the top spot.
The BMAF competition challenged pupils to design and present the kind of communities they wanted to live in, using locally available and recycled materials to construct models depicting their ideas. Fifteen schools were targeted for the competition, out of which eight submitted entries for assessment. The entries were evaluated based on creativity, connectivity, and clarity, with emphasis on how well the models communicated the children’s vision of an ideal community.
Angel Grace Assemblies of God School placed second in the competition with a prize of GH¢4,000.00, while Rev. Dunwell Methodist Primary School took third place. The competition formed part of broader efforts to promote children’s participation in policymaking and strengthen intersectoral collaboration in addressing challenges affecting their development. According to Mr. Isaac Aidoo, a team member, children had valuable perspectives on community development and must be given opportunities to participate in shaping their future.
The initiative also highlighted the importance of listening to children in policymaking, particularly on issues concerning their safety, education, health, recreation, and general wellbeing. The BMAF initiative provided an opportunity for children to move beyond being recipients of development interventions to becoming active contributors to the planning and development of their communities. This approach encouraged critical thinking, problem-solving, and active participation in development processes.
Madam Araba Dennis, Executive Director of African Women International, emphasized that the model community was not just a competition but an avenue for children to communicate their desired future. The competition was part of the Engaging Policymakers in Intersectoral Collaboration for Children (EPIC) project, which sought to give children a voice in policymaking. The project aimed to promote children's participation in development processes and ensure that their needs were addressed.
The BMAF competition was a significant step towards promoting children's participation in policymaking and community development. By providing a platform for children to express their ideas, the competition encouraged creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The initiative also highlighted the importance of intersectoral collaboration in addressing challenges affecting children's development.
The Centre for Learning and Childhood Development (CLCD) is expected to continue promoting children's participation in policymaking and community development through initiatives like the BMAF competition. The competition has demonstrated the potential of children to contribute to development processes and shape their future. As reported by the Ghana News Agency, the competition was a success, with eight schools participating and three winners emerging.
Key points
- The Charity Amoa Memorial School won the 2026 BMAF Competition with a GH¢5,000 prize.
- The competition aimed to give children a platform to express their development aspirations and contribute to decisions affecting their communities.
- The initiative promoted children's participation in policymaking and community development, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and active participation in development processes.
