December 2007
An Interview with Beauty Agbavor
by Laura Newman
Beauty Agbavor came to the Communication and Development Studies program with a rich background in field experience working for NGOs in Ghana. She initially received her undergraduate degree in English and Religious Studies from the University of Ghana – Legon in 2001. “I’ve always been very curious about religion,” says Beauty, “and the diversity of religions in Ghana has informed this interest.” Soon after her degree, she participated in a summer missions program called Discovery Ghana hosted by Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT) in northern Ghana. Discovery Ghana, a short term cross-cultural program, provided an opportunity for American and Ghanaian the opportunity to learn about themselves, their ministry and Ghana.
Like all university students in Ghana, Beauty was required to participate in the Ghana National Service, a public organization currently under the Ministry of Education. Beauty was able to do her national service with GILLBT after the discovery program. After her national service, GILLBT applied to keep Beauty on a as a full–time staff. Beauty worked primarily with gender and adult literacy in development, using a concept called “understanding with your eyes” to help teach adults to read and write their mother tongue. Due to a staff crisis in the south, Beauty was moved to the communications department where she was responsible for coordinating communication efforts among the seven regional offices, producing newsletters, PR, church relations and community organization. She also served as the Ghanaian coordinator for the discovery program. It was during her three years with the communications department that Beauty’s love for communication grew.
After her four years with GILLBT,, Beauty decided to pursue her interests by working with a new NGO called BasicNeeds, a community Mental health and advocacy organization that empowers mentally ill people to be active in their communities. At this job, Beauty was a communication and fundraising officer and focused on community and media outreach. It was at this job that Beauty came to apply for the CommDev program, when we she realized that her experience in development helped strengthened her ability to perform the communication aspects of her job. She won a Ford Foundation grant, writing about her interest in Communication and Development, and the Ford Foundation recommended the OU CommDev program. Beauty is currently the President of the Association of Ford Foundation Fellows in OU.
Beauty has loved her experiences in the program, where she says “the faculty doors are always open!” She has focused her studies on women, ICT, and health and is currently working on a grant proposal to create an ICT center for woman in Tamale, Ghana. Says Beauty, “ICT is an empowering tool that will help women overcome technological barriers. A new ICT center will provide training and support and help women achieve equality with men.”
Beauty spent the winter break 2007 in with Witness for Peace in Nicaragua Latin America where she was exposed to activities of Non profit organizations in solving the issues of marginalized and disadvantaged people in the community especially women.
After Beauty graduates, she would like to work at an NGO where she could put all her learning into practice. She hopes to go back to Ghana where she can give back some of what she has been given and do some volunteer work. Beauty is also married to a wonderful man, Amanartey Narteh with whom she hopes to soon start a family!
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