Youth urged to embrace Mentorship and Volunteerism

Accra Nov 29, GNA - The Charles Buckman Foundation in partnership with the Captain Centre has successfully held the 2017 International Mentorship and Volunteerism Summit and Awards on 25 November, 2017 at Ispace Foundation in Labone, Accra.

A statement issued by the Foundation and copied to the Ghana News Agency said 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, who was the guest of honour, opened the summit on the theme; Harnessing the power of mentorship and volunteerism towards sustainable development in Africa.

In her keynote speech, she enlightened the 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, Madam 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.

Madam Gifty Afiaw Oware-Aboagye, the Deputy Director of the National Service Scheme, elaborated on the relevance of national service and its role in human capital development for national development. 

She also appreciated the current development whereby, some youth, who by one reason or the other, did not engage in their statutory national service, voluntarily turn-up to the secretariat for placement.

A member of the Rotary Club, Mr 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 at their goals and aspiration in life and not stagger at challenges and obstacles that distract them on their way to success.

The maiden International Mentorship and Volunteerism Awards was launched by 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 recognize companies that 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 their 21 Days of Y’llo Care programme that enables staff to contribute towards community development through Volunteerism and Mentorship thereby positively impacting 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, the Global Citizen Award, for his efforts in youth empowerment, volunteerism and promoting the Sustainable Development Goals. Regina Honu for the 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 to serve as a platform for stakeholders in Mentorship and Volunteerism to provide an overview of leading programs, projects, policy, research and technology capable of securing sustainable development on the continent.

GNA

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