Promoting active citizenship: STAR Ghana Foundation launches 5th anniversary

STAR Ghana Foundation (SGF), a national centre for active citizenship and philanthropy, has launched its fifth anniversary.
Star Ghana, in the last five years, after transitioning into Star Ghana Foundation in 2018 has among others, worked towards the development of a vibrant, well-informed, and assertive civil society able to contribute to inclusive access to high quality, accountable public services for all Ghanaian citizens.
The Foundation works to increase the effectiveness of citizens and civil society to achieve an equitable, inclusive society by convening inclusive dialogue and collaboration; catalysing active citizenship and collective action; coordinating and supporting strategic partnerships and facilitating continuous learning to fuel wider scale change.
Its goal is to help ensure all citizens, regardless of gender, disability, age or location, are empowered to participate in decisions and raise concerns.
Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Chairperson, STAR-Ghana Foundation Governing Council, speaking at the launch of activities to mark the 5th anniversary of the Foundation on the theme: ‘5 years of promoting active citizenship and local philanthropy for inclusive development’ said, its donor partnerships had widened beyond bilateral donor sources to include more international foundations and development organisations.
She said the Foundation remained committed to ensuring the country achieved a democratic, inclusive and sustainable society.
Dr Ofei-Aboagye said, as part of its drive to promote the mobilisation of local resources, the Foundation was actively exploring the notion of volunteerism including linking smaller citizens groups and interest-based bodies to experienced persons with critical expert knowledge and younger persons to assist in filling crucial gaps.
‘In pursuit of our three C’s and L mantra, namely STAR Ghana as a convener, catalyst and coordinator of actions towards systemic and transformational change, we see the need to explore wherever we can build winning coalitions to foster the systemic shifts that are necessary to build the Ghana we want,’ Dr Ofei-Aboagye said.
Alhaji Amidu Ibrahim-Tanko, Executive Director, SGF, speaking at the launch of the Foundation’s fifth anniversary said the focus of the celebration was to reflect with its partners and re-strategise in the years ahead.
He expressed optimism about the prospects of the Foundation said, right after the Foundation was set up, COVID-19 struck with an implication on donor funding to support its activities, and that with its Governing Council, Subscribers, and Civil Society Organisations, it was able to re-strategise.
Speaking on the challenges the organisation had faced over the last five years, Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko said, the Foundation realised that the context in Ghana was changing with worsening economic situation and apathetic citizens who were disengaging from governance processes.
‘Also, women’s voices were getting lost in development conversations and therefore we needed to re-strategise to ensure that Star Ghana Foundation would be able to respond to the new context to be able to work and support citizens groups to be able to address the underlying causes of poverty and exclusion,’ he explained.
The Executive Director added that, ‘We worked with citizens groups to ensure that women participate in governance, benefit in governance and are equal stakeholders in ensuring sustainable development.’
In the immediate future, particularly in peace and security, Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko said, the Foundation was working collaboratively with stakeholders including the Government, citizens and communities especially those in northern Ghana to look at community-driven initiatives for peace and security.
Star Ghana Foundation, he said, was a centre for active citizenship, promoting volunteerism and philanthropy to enable and support community groups and CSOs to connect citizens to the development processes.
Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, who commended STAR Ghana, urged the Foundation not to relent in its efforts in promoting active citizenship but renew its commitments towards tackling the evolving socio-economic concerns that affects the Government’s socio-economic agenda.
Madam Kathleen Addy, Chairperson, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in a solidarity message said, amid declining funding support, it was commendable that Star Ghana Foundation was able to transition into a sustainable and independent Ghanaian institution and continue to mobilise citizens and civil society around accountability.
The NCCE Chairperson said the vision to nurture home grown philanthropy alongside the core business of building active citizens was the key to unlocking the country’s potential as a robust and democratic state.

Source: Ghana News Agency