Okyeame Kwame, Sefa Kayi, Et Al Awarded At Philanthropy Forum

Peace FM’s multiple-award winner Kwami Sefa Kayi has been honoured by the Ghana Philanthropy Forum for his humanitarian works.

The Broadcast Journalist who doubles as the GJA 2016 Best Journalist of the Year was presented with a “Philanthropic Media Personality of the Year” award 2018.

The Awards event is held annually to climax the National Philanthropy Forum, which brings together philanthropists and representatives of non-profit organisations as well as public and private sector actors to engage in discussions aimed at improving Ghana’s philanthropy space.

According to Dr Ben Ocra, President of the Ghana Philanthropy Forum which organised the events, the awards scheme was instituted to recognize the efforts of philanthropists and nonprofit groups in celebrating and encouraging them.

“By this awards, we do not seek to pay them back for their benevolence, but instead, to appreciate their efforts, hoping they get encouraged to do more for society”, he said.

Mr. Sefa Kayi and his team have been resolute in their bid to reduce the alarming rate of infant mortality in the country through his Kokrokoo Charities Foundation initiative.

They have so far installed about eleven (11) incubators, each costing ten thousand 10,000 US dollars in hospitals in the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern and Western regions of Ghana.

The foundation’s target is to donate one hundred units of the life-support equipment to medical centres across the country.

Mr. Dennis Adutwum, the Programs Manager of Kokrokoo Charities Foundation, who received the award on Mr. Sefa Kayi’s behalf, said the foundation would not relent in the pursuit of its goal of reducing deaths among babies born preterm.

Hiplife musician, Kwame Nsiah Appau, affectionately called Okyeame Kwame also picked up an award during the event. He received the “Celebrity Philanthropist of the Year” award.

He for the past nine years has been actively campaigning against Hepatitis B and has since screened thousands of people, providing free medication for those who test positive for the viral infection.

Okyeame Kwame, delivering speech after receiving the award, expressed gratitude to the organizers of the event and urged all persons to make it their civic responsibility to help resolve societal challenges.

Others awarded at the event included the Chief Executive Officer of the Tobinco group of companies, Dr Samuel Amo Tobbin, who was presented with “Philanthropist of the Year” award 2018.

‘Royal In Philanthropy’ award was bestowed on His Royal Majesty Drolor Bosso Adamtey I, traditional ruler of the Shai Traditional Area and Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) who is also Chairman of the Firstbanc Group.

Professor Asafua and Theodosia Jackson of the Jackson and Deen Foundations in Kumasi were presented with ‘Extraordinary Achievement’ award 2018, while Mr Francis Bichnord Komla Ansong, the Executive Director of VOICE-Ghana was named ‘Community Hero of Philanthropy of the Year’.

‘Noble Philanthropist Of The Year’ and ‘Outstanding Development Practitioner of the Year’ went to Rev. Monsignor Alex Bobby Benson of Matthew 25 House, Koforidua and Mr Siapha Kamara of SEND-West-Africa respectively.

For his resourcefulness in bringing to an end a 31-year-long conflict between the Bimobas and Konkombas and other conflict resolution feats in northern Ghana, Naa Golbilla David Kansuk, the Chief of Nakpanduri was given the ‘Royal Emissary Of Peace’ award.

Mr Dela Ashiabor, the Deputy Director at the Department Of Social Welfare was named the “Third Sector Public Official of the Year’ while IMANI-Ghana was recognised as the “CSO Think Tank of the Year”.

National Philanthropy Forum

According to Clifford Frimpong - a freelancer - this year’s event which is the third edition of the National Philanthropy Forum focused on promoting and sustaining the work of the third sector (NGOs, CSOs) to impact national development.

The event was held at the Accra International Conference Center (AICC) under the theme: “The Role of the Third Sector (NGOs, CSOs) in Attaining National Development”.

Members of the Philanthropy and NGO community as well government officials and traditional leaders attended the 2-day event.

Hon. Otiko Afisah Djaba, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, delivering a speech at the summit, noted the importance of the ‘third sector’ (non-profits) to national development, saying it could not be overlooked.

The Minister, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the conference, said her ministry was prepared to collaborate with stakeholders within the nonprofit sector to address social challenges.

She also called on NGOs and CSOs to channel their resources and efforts towards child protection and women empowerment to help bridge the gender gap.

H.E Dr Naa Asie Ocansey, who gave the keynote address, also stressed the need for collaboration within the sector, adding that it would help the nonprofits sustain their work and achieve greater results.

She urged actors in the sector to be pragmatic in their operations in order to meet the exact need of the communities they serve.

The summit ended with an awards ceremony, where eleven humanitarians were honoured for their outstanding philanthropic contributions towards developing society.

The number included philanthropic individual and organizations, celebrities and traditional leaders as well as a civil society organization.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana