SHECANIC, the women-led auto mechanic outfit, together with Kaya Tours, is gearing up for an exciting adventure with the Wave The Flag Road Trip – a powerful journey celebrating women, rallying support for the Ghana Black Stars at Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2024, and championing responsible road practices.
Starting January 13, the expedition will traverse a diverse route, connecting communities along the way and fostering a spirit of unity, cultural exchange and prosperity. The theme, Celebration in Unity, aptly reflects the essence of this journey, bringing together a vibrant convoy of cars, buses and motorcycles as they explore the path to Côte d’Ivoire.
Wave The Flag goes beyond just a road trip, insists SHECANIC founder, Nana Afua Serwaa Adusei. She explained that the inspiration for Wave The Flag stemmed from SHECANIC’s groundbreaking participation in the 10,000km Ghana to UK road trip in 2023.
“It is a platform for women’s empowerment, encouraging leisure travel and advocating for the removal of visa restrictions within Africa,” she said while emphasising the importance of road safety education throughout the journey, partnering with the DVLA and Ghana Police to raise awareness and promote responsible driving practices.
The entire expedition will be broadcast live on national television, allowing Ghanaians to experience the excitement, cultural exchange and road safety advocacy first-hand.
SHECANIC’s consistent drive for progress
This initiative is a continuation of SHECANIC’s impactful work in 2023. Nana Afua’s active participation in national education events, mentorship programmes, and women’s empowerment initiatives demonstrate her unwavering commitment to shared progress.
Ms. Adusei was a speaker and moderator at the 2023 National Education Week under the theme ‘Education Delivery for National Transformation – The Case for STEM and TVET. This year’s event witnessed the participation of senior government officials from Ghana and other selected countries in Africa.
The conference brought together major stakeholders within the education space and featured presentations and discussions on achievements of the government’s key policies and programmes in the Education Sector, with emphasis on STEM education and Technical and Vocational Training. Running concurrently as a side event was an exhibition open to the public to showcase success stories.
She also served as a mentor at the 2023 Standard Chartered Girls Forum and trained women on basic car care and maintenance routines, such as changing tires, in partnership with Toyota and FBN Bank. This consistent support for women-led initiatives by SHECANIC was capped off at the tail end of the year when the organisation threw its weight behind Afua Asantewaa Owusu Aduonum’s Guinness Book of Records sing-a-thon.
Ms. Adusei proved to be a consistent source of mental and material support. Speaking after the sing-a-thon, Afua Asantewaa Owusu Aduonum singled out SHECANIC for its support, saying: “I will also want to say a big ‘thank you’ to SHECANIC. Anytime I sleep and wake up, I see her in front of my mirror. And she is like: ‘Girl, you have to sing.’ SHECANIC, thank you so much, I am grateful”.
