Speakers at the Second Edition of Ghana Philanthropy Conference have emphasized the importance of collective giving, trust-building, and creation of sustainable support structures for a stable society in Ghana.
At the opening of the two-day Conference in Accra on Wednesday, October 30TH , various speakers advocated a shift towards a more unified and discreet philanthropic approach to ensuring that contributions are both impactful and sustainable, thereby strengthening the foundation for a more equitable society in Ghana.
The Conference was facilitated by STAR-Ghana Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection, the National Youth Authority, Ghana Philanthropy Forum, West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), the University of Ghana Centre for Social Policy Studies, and the CSOs SDGs Platform.
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Held on the theme, ‘Volunteerism as a Civic Action,’ the well-attended Forum aimed to provide a platform for dialogue among stakeholders to strengthen linkages of initiatives and promote exchanges among participants toward advancing the development of philanthropy in Ghana.
In his remarks, the Vice Chair, Governing Council of STAR-Ghana Foundation, Mr Charles Abugre suggested the formation of foundations and associations to amplify impact, particularly for underprivileged communities, rather than only making individual contributions.
Mr Abugre called for more accountability and trust to encourage collaborative giving, especially among wealthy individuals.
He mentioned that governments, while effective in delivering broad services like healthcare and education, struggle to directly target the needy due to limitations in resources and reach. He noted that by offering incentives for community initiatives, governments could better enable individuals and organizations to support those who need it most.
He told participants that, “We have to build more trust. We have to build more accountability to create more trust. We also observe that wealthy people give. Some of them give quietly. Some of them give flamboyantly. There is more giving in funerals and in public affairs, flamboyantly, than there is giving quietly to causes that help aggregate and reach scale, that we can encourage our wealthy to be more aggregated, to also create foundations, to give quietly, to encourage and to support at least while being behind the scenes to support it.
“We said that governments do well when they are providing services to the needy at a universal level, the provision of health care and education, but are quite poor when they try to target the poor, when they try to target the needy, because they simply do not have the tools to do this. And yet, they could also do better in providing the right incentives to those of us sitting here who are trying to tackle, who are trying to reach the most needy, who are trying to solve problems at the community level, and so on and so forth.”
Delivering a key note address, Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, a Catholic Missionary Priest and Founder of the Lepers Aid Committee underscored the power of community and the impact of giving, no matter how small it may seem. Fr Campbell indicated that even a small gesture of kindness can change a life forever. He reminded participants of the significance of helping each other, especially when someone is in need.
Fr Campbell narrated that At age 18, his dream of attending seminary seemed out of reach due to financial barriers. Despite his hard work, he couldn’t afford the essentials. Yet, an anonymous individual stepped in to provide the needed £10, allowing him to pursue his goal.
This act of kindness, according to him, made a lasting impact on his life, and he still cherishes the gesture as a symbol of hope and generosity.
He used the anecdote to illustrate a fundamental truth about community support, stressing that even the smallest act can leave a lifelong impression.
He said as “we strive to build a stable society, let’s remember that each of us has the power to make a difference in someone’s life.”
Fr Campbell also called for the urgent need for environmental stewardship and action. He painted a powerful picture of the current crisis in the country including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and the degradation of water and land due to illegal Mining and other unchecked practices.
These according to him, are not abstract statistics but are pressing realities affecting communities, health, and future generations.
He emphasized that each Ghanaian has a role to play, whether it is through advocating for sustainable practices or actively participating in local environmental efforts.
He called on all to move beyond complaints and criticisms to make a tangible difference.
By: Mohammed Suleman/Publicagenda.news
