Today, we put the spotlight on Juliet Nyarko Adansi, one of our three Fellows. Juliet is a Ghanaian development practitioner passionate about advancing gender equality, youth empowerment, and inclusive education across Africa. She is committed to creating safe and supportive environments where girls and young people can thrive, learn, and lead.

She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in International Gender Equality Studies from the University of Iceland and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring & Evaluation from GIMPA. Juliet earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where she developed a strong grounding in social systems, community development, and gender analysis.

Juliet currently serves as the Ghana Programs Manager for Seeds of Fortune Inc., where she oversees national program implementation supporting African girls in leadership development, financial literacy, and scholarship access.

She is also the Founder and Executive Director of the JOYA Foundation and the visionary behind the Keep Her in School Project, which she has led since 2021 to address menstrual health education and gender-based barriers affecting girls’ academic participation.

Her work has recorded notable successes, including reaching over ten communities with menstrual health education, strengthening school-based gender awareness, and supporting girls and young women to access leadership and learning opportunities. Juliet has held several leadership and representation roles, including serving as Ghana’s Regional Leader for the UN Foundation’s Girl Up initiative, a National Coordinator for the African Union’s Centre of Excellence for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa (AU CIEFFA), a member of the She Africa Movement, and a Youth Delegate to the Council of Europe, where she contributed to youth policy dialogue and international advocacy.

In 2025, Juliet worked as a consultant on the develoPPP Ventures Ghana program with TKC Africa and GIZ/GreenTec, supporting startup selection, due diligence, and ecosystem convening. Across her journey, she has worked with organizations including The Pearl Safe Haven and Obaapa Development Foundation.

Looking ahead, Juliet plans to deepen community-led development practice, scale the Keep Her in School Instructor Training Program nationally, and strengthen JOYA Foundation as a platform for sustainable youth and women-focused interventions across Ghana.

We at ACA are delighted to have you on board this year’s Sora Kaufman Fellowship. Congrats!