Rural Community Development Fund Launched in Jirapa, Ghana — MyJoyOnline
The Anwelle Foundation, a charitable fund that will focus on addressing resource shortages in rural communities through educational programs, youth support, sustainable sources of income, and rural development, has been launched in Jirapa, Ghana. The paramount chief of the Jirapa traditional area, Naa Di-Naa Donlabong III, called on residents and community members living outside the area to become more actively involved in local development.
As MyJoyOnline reports, he urged natives of Jirapa to bring capital, professional knowledge, academic experience, and business connections back to the community to help fight poverty and youth unemployment. According to him, development should not depend solely on the central government in Accra.
Support for Students and Communities
The foundation's founder and CEO, Frank Anwelle, said he created the organization under the influence of his own experience of educational support. He noted that talented young people in rural areas are often unable to take advantage of opportunities because of a lack of information or financial assistance.
Even before its official launch, the foundation provided emergency support to students affected by a fire in the dormitory of Jirapa Senior High School, donated sewing machines to vocational course participants, and drilled boreholes to provide communities with clean water.
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University for Development Studies student Abdul Karim Hakim said the foundation paid for his tuition, accommodation, and living expenses for four years. According to him, Frank Anwelle met him in Accra in 2022, when Hakim was working as a security guard at a residential complex and raising funds for higher education.
Vocational Training Plans
The foundation also announced an automotive apprenticeship program jointly with industry operator Johani Annie. Selected young people from Jirapa will receive technical training at automotive centers in Tamale, Sunyani, and Accra. After completing the training, the organization plans to open an automotive workshop in Jirapa, where program participants will be able to find employment.
Upper West Region Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing personally donated 20,000 Ghanaian cedis to the foundation. He called for the development of integrated agricultural value chains, from growing produce to its processing, storage, and access to markets. At the same time, the official warned residents against excessive expectations of the new organization, as this could jeopardize its sustainable operations.
The foundation's board chairman, Professor Williams Angko, said that the name Anwelle means “no one should be left behind” in the local language. He promised that the foundation would operate according to the principles of transparency, political neutrality, and merit-based assistance.
