The civil society space in Ghana witnessed a historic event when Star Ghana Foundation was launched with the sole aim of whipping up citizen’s interest to be active in the governance of the country.
The Star Ghana Foundation builds on the successful STAR-Ghana programme, a multi-donor civil society initiative established in 2011.
The launch of the Foundation took place at the Alisa Hotel and was immediately followed by a public lecture on the theme: “Active Citizenship in a Changing Ghana: context, challenges and opportunities.”
Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr, former chairman of the STAR-Ghana Programme Steering Committee, who performed the official launch said, “the Foundation is a strategic national entity which will continue the good work of the old STAR-Ghana Programme.”
“This will be achieved by promoting, coordinating and supporting the work of other civil society organizations. The Star Ghana Foundation must work to sustain itself after assured donor funding is cut off in two years’ time,” he added.
He continued that in order for the new Star Ghana Foundation to be impactful, it must meet the real needs of Ghanaians and not simply cleverly thought of ideas from somewhere or somebody.
“It is crucial for this new Foundation to educate, unite, strengthen and motivate people in order for it to benefit the ordinary Ghanaian”, Prof Sawyerr stated.
The former Chairman of STAR-Ghana said he is very confident that the new Foundation will maintain the 100 percent record of fund integrity that the old STAR-Ghana Programme had.
For his part, Ibrahim Tanko Amidu, CEO of the Star Ghana Foundation stated, “this new Foundation is a milestone in the journey of civil society in Ghana.
“We have worked with both big and small CSOs and the coming into being of the Star Ghana Foundation is a way of continuing to support citizens to be active in the development process.”
This Foundation constitutes a major development in the landscape for active citizenship, civil society and philanthropy in Ghana and Africa as a whole, Mr. Tanko added.
The new Star Ghana Foundation received support from its major strategic partners and donors like Christian Aid, UKaid, DFID and many others.
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