The Inception: 35 Trainees. 5 Volunteers.
Inspired by the visionary mentorship of Mr. Moses Baffour Awuah, YAO began as a movement to professionalize youth leadership. Starting with just **35 trainees** and **5 volunteers**, we planted the first seeds of the Leadership Diary Training Program in 5 core communities.
Expansion into Axim, Tarkwa, & Techiman
A breakthrough era marked by our partnership with **USAID**. We scaled to 250+ trainees and expanded our reach across Ghana. By 2017, we celebrated our 5th Anniversary, diversifying into 5 training programs and establishing our presence in **Axim, Tarkwa, and Techiman**.
Rallying 1,500+ Trainees Annually
This period saw exponential growth, reaching **1,500+ trainees** annually. We solidified our footprint in **Tamale, Sunyani, and Ho**, while introducing the "Age of Work" and "Regenerative Health" modules to our curriculum.
Forging relationships in Morocco & Togo
YAO officially went global. We forged meaningful relationships in **Morocco, Togo, and the USA**. 2022 marked the "End of an Era" as we prepared for our next decade of impact, focusing on networking, educational tours, and cocktail alliances.
Participants from Ghana, Benin, & Nigeria
Introduction of the **Orange Youth Festival** to celebrate youth gifts. Expansion continued into 14 regions, with Koforidua and Cape Coast SALCs evolving into full LDTPs by 2025.
Marking the 10th Anniversary in Kumasi
Moving to cover all **16 regions of Ghana**. Our journey comes full circle with the 10th Anniversary in Kumasi. Step into the movement.
Join the 10th Anniversary Cohort →
Every idea starts with something unusual. Our story was inspired by Mr. Moses Baffour Awuah, who as a student of Central University, Ghana, saw the benefit he had from mentoring relationships and organized a group of high school leavers to teach them about leadership and mentorship.
As with any other idea, this has evolved to become a global leadership conference, fueled by the mission to raise a cadre of leaders through information and knowledge sharing and skill development.
Strategic Implementation & Regional Coordination
The 10,000+ Strong Leadership Cadre
The Engine across 16 Regions of Ghana