Lack of funding is a significant barrier to education in the Akyem Adukrom municipality of the Eastern Region, leaving many children without access to quality learning opportunities.
To address this challenge, the family of Dr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, a prominent member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has established the Mary Badu Educational Endowment Fund.
This initiative aims to support underprivileged children in the community by covering academic fees and other essential expenses.
Dr. Ofosu-Ampofo announced the launch of the fund during a church service at the Adukrom Presbyterian Church, marking the one-year anniversary of his mother, Mary Badu’s, passing.
The Ghana Statistical Service reports that over 1.2 million children of school-going age (4 to 17 years) in Ghana are not attending school, with nearly one million of them having never been enrolled.
The primary reason is multidimensional poverty, which prevents many families from affording education.
Dr. Ofosu-Ampofo believes the Mary Badu Educational Endowment Fund will alleviate some of the financial burdens faced by parents in Adukrom.
The fund will initially support 10 brilliant but needy students in the community, ensuring they have the resources to pursue their education.
This effort is in memory of Mary Badu, who was deeply passionate about education and went to great lengths to ensure her own children received schooling, even selling her clothes and jewelry to fund their education.
A seed money of GH₵50,000 has already been allocated to the fund, with a committee set up to manage its operations.
In addition to the educational fund, the family has also pledged to renovate the Adukrom Presbyterian Church in honor of the late Mary Badu.
Dr. Ofosu-Ampofo expressed hope that these initiatives will contribute to creating a more literate and educated community in Adukrom.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh (#RomeoWrites✍️) / Ahotoronline.com
