Ursula Owusu-Ekuful inaugurating the foundation building at Dansoman
As part of efforts to empower the youth of Ablekuma West with various entrepreneurial skills training for sustainable livelihoods, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has launched the ‘Ursula Foundation’ at Dansoman in the Greater Accra Region.
The foundation is also expected to give hope and create a safe space for people who may be facing challenges in fulfilling their ambitions in life.
Some of the areas the members of the constituency, particularly the youth, are expected to benefit include Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Career Development; Information Technology and Digital Skills; Creative Arts and Media, Financial Literacy and Business Management.
Others are Communication and Inter-Personal Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Career Counselling and Guidance, as well as entrepreneurship projects.
The rest are Agriculture and Agribusiness, Healthcare and Wellbeing, Hospitality and Tourism, Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development, Construction and Infrastructure, Key Cutting, Blacksmithing, Textiles and Garments Production, Carpentry and several others.
To assess the performance of the trainers of the programme, students would also be assessed on their performances on the projects.
Speaking at the launch, the minister said the foundation is focused on creating lasting impacts not only at her constituency but other parts of the country.
She also described the foundation as a “beacon of hope” that will create opportunities for the people of Ablekuma West to develop practical skills and knowledge in different skills, to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
The minister disclosed that the foundation would guide the youth to achieve their goals with direction from other professionals.
According to the minister, the foundation is a legacy project that emanated from numerous individuals who supported her in diverse ways in her career path.
She said her compassion, service, and resilience have been the guiding principles that have driven her leadership over the years.
She said it was therefore important for her, with the support of other stakeholders, to extend a hand to other people who may need assistance.
“Our foundation embodies this grace, a beacon of hope for those who seek a brighter path. From my days as a charcoal seller to serving in public office, I’ve learned the values of compassion, service, and resilience.
“Leadership isn’t just about accomplishments; it’s about how those achievements uplift others,” she added.
Touching on her tenure as a Member of Parliament, she also mentioned some of the numerous issues she has addressed in her constituency.
She stated that the issues, which include education and healthcare, sanitation and infrastructure among others, required long-lasting solutions which needed not to be politicised.
The minister added that the initiative, which would be organised around areas such as Entrepreneurship, Education and Literacy, Sustainable Livelihood, Social Protection and Stemnovation, would provide equal opportunities for all residents of Ablekuma West, regardless of their religious, political or tribal leanings.
“No person must be left behind in our efforts to transform our constituency into a model constituency,” she stated.
She also called for deepened collaborations with other stakeholders to expand the scope having supported many youth in various capacities.
She, therefore, used the opportunity to appeal to all stakeholders to support the foundation to achieve its goals.
“With the foundation now officially launched, the focus shifts to the implementation of its ambitious programmes,” she said.
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, who donated GH¢100,000 to support the activities of the foundation, also called on other individuals to support the minister’s vision aimed at improving the lives of the people in the area.
Present at the launch were notable individuals, community leaders as well as several youth who were already receiving training in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and other support from the minister.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah