CorpsAfrica/Ghana is teaming up with some social partners to accelerate community development and help end poverty in the country.

CorpsAfrica/Ghana over the weekend held a meeting with some like-minded social and development partners to deepen relations and see ways of working together to enhance community development through a collaborative effort.

It was attended by more than 20 organisations including Mastercard Foundation – funding sponsor of CorpsAfrica, and some non-governmental and Civil Society Organisations, including Peace Corps,Future of Africa, and Compassion International.

Speaking at the soiree, Mr. Moses Cofie, Director, CorpsAfrica/Ghana, said the meeting was to team up with the social and development partners knowing that: “No one person or organisation can work for development.”

“We’re, therefore, connecting with other like-minded development partners to increase social and economic impact in communities and make in-roads to restore dignity to the Ghanaian people,” he said.

He explained that CorpsAfrica served as a catalyst for community development through its volunteers “to present a perfect ecosystem to channel funds for true sustainable social and economic advancement.”

He noted that 30 per cent of cash and materials for identified projects were provided by community members, while the remaining 70 percent is provided by CorpsAfrica.

“This makes community members mobilise and utilise resources at their disposal and with funds and skill from CorpsAfrica, together with the skills acquired, engender societal development,” Mr. Cofie said.

Beyond the development projects, the Director said CorpsAfrica trains community members in soft skills, including soap production, reusable sanitary wear, and environmental protection measures, such as waste segregation.

On impact of the organisation, he indicated that Mastercard Foundation had announced a five-year $59.4 million partnership to fight poverty due to the progress made by its volunteers in some six African countries.

The funding support is to develop the leadership skills of 1,600 young Africans to engage in community-led projects that impact public health, food security, education, gender issues, the digital economy, and environment.

It is expected that the work of the volunteers would benefit over 800,000 community members through economic development while creating work opportunities for young people across the continent.

Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Malawi, Rwanda, and Kenya are already benefiting from CorpsAfrica projects, with Nigeria, Uganda, and Ethiopia expected to be beneficiaries this year, while, two other countries would benefit in 2024.

Participants at the meeting lauded CorpsAfrica’s community-based approach to solving societal problems and called for its integration into the National Service Scheme to help reduce the social and economic challenges faced in rural communities.