Child Education & Youth Advocate | Technical Advisor | Founder | Development & Corporate Communications
My name is Akorfa Ama Akoto and I am a Child Education and Youth Advocate. I founded Spring-UP Global Network (SUGN) to improve the quality of education in orphanages and hard-to-reach primary and secondary schools in Ghana. One of my main goals is to empower youth who volunteer with SUGN with skills in leadership and project management. Since 2019, my team and I at SUGN have been providing career guidance, mentorship, and teaching and learning materials to seven schools and orphanages across Ghana, specifically in the Central, Ashanti, Volta, and Greater Accra regions. Through our organization's iRead iLead Campaign, we are making reading exciting for children and nurturing future-ready leaders who love to read. We achieve this by renovating school libraries and establishing reading clubs in schools. It's been incredibly fulfilling to witness the positive impact our work has had on the lives of young students and to help set them on a path towards a brighter future. As a Child Education and Youth Advocate, I believe that education is a right that every child should have access to.
Through Spring-UP Global Network (SUGN), I have been able to work towards improving the quality of education in orphanages and hard-to-reach primary and secondary schools in Ghana. My team and I have been able to provide career guidance, mentorship, and teaching and learning materials to seven schools and orphanages in Central, Ashanti, Volta, and the Greater Accra Regions of Ghana.
We have also trained and empowered youth volunteers with skills in leadership and project management to help them become agents of change in their communities. Through our iRead iLead Campaign, we are making reading exciting for children and nurturing future-ready leaders who love to read by renovating school libraries and establishing reading clubs in schools. It is my hope that through SUGN's initiatives, we can create a brighter future for the children of Ghana and inspire others to take action towards improving education for all.
What were the biggest initial hurdles you faced and how did you overcome them?
As a Child Education and Youth Advocate, one of my biggest challenges has been meeting the increasing demand from schools requesting our team of volunteers to provide them with support. It has been difficult to keep up with the high volume of requests, especially for schools that are located far away and have resource limitations. However, despite these obstacles, I am proud to say that since the inception of Spring-UP Global Network in 2019, we have been able to directly impact the lives of over 2000 beneficiaries through our various projects.
While we have not been able to reach all the schools that have reached out to us, we remain committed to our mission of providing quality education to orphanages and hard-to-reach primary and secondary schools in Ghana. We have been able to achieve this by empowering the youth who volunteer with us with skills in leadership and project management, providing them with the necessary resources, and encouraging them to make a difference in their communities.
I am continually inspired by the impact that our iRead iLead Campaign has had on children's education in Ghana. By renovating school libraries and establishing reading clubs, we are fostering a love for reading and nurturing future-ready leaders. I believe that every child deserves access to quality education, and I will continue to work tirelessly to make this a reality for as many children as possible.
What advice do you have for young people locally and internationally who are just starting out in their careers or pursuing their passions?
As someone who has learned the importance of committing to every task, I highly recommend approaching every project with intentionality.
By being mindful of the details and committing to excellence, you'll not only complete the task at hand but also develop the skills that will set you apart from others in the long run. Remember, success is not just about achieving the end goal, but also about the journey of growth and development that comes with it.
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Website: www.akorfaakoto.com