PHG Foundation conducts annual community stakeholders’ forum and info sessions across 4 regions and 10 zones
PHG Foundation, a leading Community Innovation and Enterprise Development Agency in Ghana, has successfully conducted its annual Community Stakeholders’ Forum and Info Sessions.
These events engaged community-based groups, women’s groups, youth groups, persons with disabilities, and community opinion leaders across the country. This initiative forms part of the Foundation's participatory approach to reviewing its 2024 programmes and planning for strategic projects and programmes for 2025 and beyond.
The forums, held between 14 November and 20 December 2024, brought together participants from the Ashanti, Bono East, Bono, and Ahafo Regions. Attendees engaged in meaningful dialogue with PHG Foundation’s team leads, programme coordinators, and volunteers as they reviewed 2024 activities and shed light on the ongoing Grassroots Innovation Scouting (GrIS) model of the Young Africa Innovates (YAI) programme. This initiative, which spans over 14 regions in Ghana, has identified youth from atypical rural and peri-urban communities, who are now progressing to the next support phases, including boot camps and the Gate Support phases.
Participants selected from communities within PHG's Impact Mission Zones (IMZ), where the organisation actively operates, expressed their gratitude to the PHG Foundation team and volunteers for fostering engagement, communication, and trust. They particularly appreciated the inclusion of community voices in decision-making processes. Many attendees shared their joy and pride in witnessing youth from their communities being selected to participate in the next support phase, which aims to further develop innovative solutions and generate employment opportunities both locally and beyond. This programme is being implemented by the PHG Foundation in collaboration with sub-partners and key partners such as UNDP Ghana and the Mastercard Foundation.
Community stakeholders also appealed to PHG Foundation’s team to consider addressing additional community challenges as they continue to engage stakeholders in developing sustainable interventions for local communities with the support of development partners for 2025 and beyond.
PHG Foundation’s team leads expressed their gratitude to the community stakeholders for their consistent responsiveness to the organisation's calls, facilitated by programme coordinators, community impact volunteers, and local leaders. The stakeholders were reminded that their efforts to support local communities have not gone unnoticed. In recognition of its impact, PHG Foundation was honoured as Innovative Rural Development Leaders at the 2024 Ghana Philanthropy Awards, an event celebrating organisations committed to uplifting communities across Ghana.
The Community Forums and Info Sessions were hosted at Community Impact Centres (CIC) in locations such as Ejura, Drobonso, Bomiri-Nkoranza, Jema/Kintampo, Nnipahiamoa-Techiman, Wenchi-Wurompo, and Sabiye-Banda across the four regions. Each session attracted over 100 participants, reflecting the enthusiasm and commitment of stakeholders within these regions.
Operating through a network of dedicated Community Impact Volunteers, team leads, and consultants, PHG Foundation has made significant strides in grassroots innovation scouting, youth digital and entrepreneurial skills training, primary health promotion, AgriTech innovation, and responsible AI research. These efforts are supported by development partners and contribute significantly to Ghana's rural development goals.