The Charles Buckman Foundation, in partnership with the Captain Centre, successfully held the 2017 International Mentorship and Volunteerism Summit in Accra.
The summit sought to build bridges among service leaders from government, the private sector, developmental partners and NGOs, and to foster an information exchange on increasing the role of citizens in mentorship and volunteerism towards sustainable development.
Justice Julia Sarkodie-Mensah, a criminal justice expert based in the Bahamas, opened the summit on the theme Harnessing the power of mentorship and volunteerism towards sustainable development in Africa.
In her keynote speech, she enlightened participants on mentorship and volunteerism as crucial in the development of every nation’s youth and human resource: instilling potent and ethical values, patriotism, discipline, confidence, and selflessness – leading to sustainable economic development.
Speaking during the summit, Md. Abena Adubea Acheampong, the Country Director-Vision Aid Overseas, took the opportunity to educate participants on the development of work by stakeholders drawn from the government and private sector and development partners on instituting a framework for mentorship and volunteerism in Ghana to help chart a better future for mentors, mentees and volunteers.
The Deputy Director of the National Service Scheme, Madam Gifty Afiaw Oware-Aboagye, elaborated the relevance of national service and its role in human capital development for national development. She also appreciated the current development whereby some members of the youth – who, for one reason or another, did not engage in their statutory national service – voluntarily turn-up to the secretariat for placement.
A member of the Rotary Club, Klenam Uba Fiadzo, speaking on the topic Making a Difference through volunteerism, used the platform to educate participants on the impact of Rotaractors and Rotarians worldwide in the eradication of Polio – a vision supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other projects in education, peace and conflict prevention and resolution, and economic development; and how the spirit of volunteerism is the backbone of all impacts in serving humanity and making a difference.
Mr. Ken Amoah, speaking on the Power of the Human will, admonished participants to be persistent with their goals and aspiration in life and not stagger from challenges and obstacles that distract them on their way to success.
The maiden International Mentorship and Volunteerism Awards was launched by Hon. Justice Julia Sarkodie-Mensah, the awards Seeks to celebrate individuals and groups based on the spirit of mentorship and volunteerism demonstrated through active, unpaid involvement in and contributions to their community, country and the continent; and to secondly recognise companies which demonstrate that mentoring and volunteering is a key strategy for connecting young people to social and economic opportunities, and leads to a stronger 21st-century workforce
During the awards ceremony, MTN Ghana was awarded for its 21 Days of Y’llo Care programme, which enables staff to contribute towards community development through Volunteerism and Mentorship and thereby positively impact the youth, institutions and the vulnerable in our society
Mr. Emmanuel E.K Awumee, a car-care consultant and C.E.O of Sesil Consult Limited, received the Disruptive and Global Brand Award for SESIL CONSULT LIMITED, and this was for Mentoring the Youth on Entrepreneurship and his Advocacy for the youth to venture into the informal sector with Value Added Innovations and Technologies capable of transforming the sector for Sustainable Development and Economic Growth.
Other award winners were Mr. Daniel Owusu with the Global Citizen Award, for his efforts in youth empowerment, volunteerism and promoting the Sustainable Development Goals; Regina Honu, for her role in promoting STEM Education for the girl child; the West Africa Centre for Peace Foundation, for establishing a platform that connects the youth Noble Peace Laureates for mentorship; and Enactus Ghana, for promoting student entrepreneurship and community development.
The summit and award will be held annually and serve as a platform for stakeholders in Mentorship & Volunteerism to provide an overview of leading programmes, projects, policy, research and technology capable of securing sustainable development on the continent.
