The South Korean Government working through its development agency, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA has partnered the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation, a non-Governmental Organization dedicated to promoting a safer and responsible digizens for Ghana. GISF was responsible for coordinating the activities of its ICT Volunteers under the Korea Internet Volunteers programme.

As part of the partnership arrangements, GISF received and coordinated the activities of sixteen (16) ICT Volunteers who are skilled in Mobile App development and Website Development.

The volunteers engaged several schools in the Ashanti region. These schools were selected from both the private and public sectors. Some of the schools include; Enas Hybrid School, Perniel Academy, Lutheran Evangelical School, St. Peters Basic R/C School, Headlines Educational Complex, Oasis Christian Academy, FAB Unique Academy.

On a courtesy visit to the base of the ICT Volunteers in Kumasi, Miss Bae, KOICA Volunteer Programme Coordinator admonished and encouraged the ICT Volunteers to give off their best to ensure the objectives of the programme is achieved. The Volunteers expressed their delight in the confidence reposed into them by the South Korean Government and promised to give their best.

According to Moon Wongoon, the group leader of the South Korean team, the ‘CitizenCopGhana App’ would ensure users of the app can quickly request for emergency services in case of a mishap. The system is developed to connect with security forces (Ghana Police Service, Fire Service, Ambulance Service). It also allows users to send their exact location using GPS technology so they can be located incase of an incident.

“With limited internet data, you can access the ‘CitizenCopGhana App’ and its availability is not dependent on network availability, it will be as easy as using ‘WhatsApp’. In terms of access, it is highly advantageous and a smooth complement to the efforts of Government to ensure its citizens are safe.

Another participant in the training programme, Mr. David Agbedanu, a member of the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation, added that with the hands-on training in Website Development that he had received from the Korean IT Volunteers, he could now create and design a website.

“I had only read about how to create a website but now after this training, I can create a simple one. It has been a wonderful experience being taught by the World Friends IT Volunteers from Korea”, Mr. Agbedanu said.

Park Sangwoo and Amy Choi, both members of the volunteer group, said that the training they and their team had given to the participants, would enable the latter to create various applications by themselves, sell them and make money out of the venture.

The training programme was initiated by CSUC and powered by Ghana Internet Safety Foundation, GISF