The Anwelle Foundation, a social development organisation, has been launched in the Upper West Region with a commitment to supporting community development and improving livelihoods, particularly among less privileged people and underserved communities.
The Foundation seeks to create opportunities for people through interventions in education, vocational training, healthcare, clean water and livelihood empowerment.
The launch, held at Jirapa at the weekend, attracted scores of people from the region and beyond, including government officials, a special envoy from Liberia, civil society organisation (CSO) actors and women’s groups.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Frank Anwelle, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, said the initiative was not merely about establishing an organisation but rekindling hope for equitable opportunities for people, irrespective of their socioeconomic backgrounds.
He said opportunities for personal and community development should not depend on luck, connections or the circumstances of one’s birth but on merit.
Mr Anwelle observed that although opportunities such as educational scholarships existed, many deserving young people in rural communities were often unaware of them, a gap the Foundation sought to bridge.
He identified education, youth empowerment and sustainable livelihoods among the pillars anchoring the activities of the Foundation.
Mr Anwelle said even before its official launch, the Foundation had impacted the lives of many people and communities through educational support and assistance to institutions, including the Jirapa Municipal Commands of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service.
It had also provided some communities with water facilities and donated medical consumables to some health facilities.
Mr Abdul-Karim Hakim, a beneficiary and final-year Bachelor of Science in Computer Science student at the University for Development Studies (UDS), said Mr Anwelle had supported his education since he gained admission to the university.
“He supports me to pay my accommodation rent. He supports me to pay my other expenses,” Mr Hakim, who comes from Walewale, in the North East region, said, and expressed gratitude to his benefactor.
He expressed gratitude to his benefactor for the support, which had enabled him to pursue his education.
Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa III, the Paramount Chief of Jirapa, challenged residents and indigenes of the Jirapa Municipality to take responsibility for the development of the area.
He expressed optimism that the success of the Foundation would help transform the fortunes of the people, saying education, agriculture, healthcare, clean water and skills development were essential to improving human dignity and advancing economic progress.
The Paramount Chief said development should not be the sole responsibility of the government but a collective effort involving traditional authorities, the private sector, development organisations and citizens.
Naa Ganaa, therefore, urged natives of the area living elsewhere to consider returning home to contribute their expertise, experience and resources towards the development of Jirapa.
“If you are a doctor, Jirapa needs your knowledge. If you are an engineer, Jirapa needs your ideas.
“If you are a teacher, Jirapa needs your wisdom; if you are an entrepreneur, Jirapa needs your investment,” he explained.
Professor Williams Angko, Board Chairman of the Foundation, expressed confidence that it would serve as a vehicle for progress and development in Jirapa and beyond.
He pledged the Board’s commitment to transparency and fairness in the management and distribution of the Foundation’s resources.
“The board will ensure that every resource entrusted to us is used transparently and reaches out to those in need, not those who are related to us. Everybody is our relative,” he said.