With over sixty-one thousand four hundred and ninety-two children on the streets of Accra only struggling to make ends meet,streetism has become a major social crisis in Ghana. In this interview with Project Inspire Africa,Isaac Opoku tells us how his non-profit organization responding to this challenge.
Can we meet you?
I am Isaac Opoku, a- 27 year-old Ghanaian citizen. I love swimming and travelling.
Tell us briefly your childhood experience.
I was raised by a single mother. As a child,I remember that I was always on the street with my friends finding a means of survival. God has been good, today I have completed my university education and I am using my experience to inspire street children in my community.
What’s your educational background?
I am a graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Design and majored in Advertising and Media Management.
What are your contributions towards making your country a better place?
I founded an NGO called Starlight Foundation. It is a non-governmental organization, with the aim of creating opportunities for street-connected children to help give them a better life and future. Access to quality education is one of our key objectives for the street-connected children which we do in partnership with some reputable and reliable institutions. Those interested in learning a trade or vocation are not left out of the equation after taking into account their age.
What steps did you take to bring your vision to fruition?
Every dream started with a step. To build my vision, I made up my mind, stayed focused with the dream, spoke to few friends to join me in making the vision a reality and here we are today impacting lives.
What have been your achievements?
To me, my greatest achievements has been the lives that has been the lives we have impacted through Starlight Foundation. We have carried out ten projects together with a team of twenty Volunteers and have directly impacted 5,760 persons.
What motivated you to do what you are doing?
My personal life experiences.
What has been your major challenge since you began Starlight Foundation?
Challenges are part of the journey A few hurdles I have faced are getting committed people to follow the vision, difficulties in getting human and financial supports.
How have you been able to raise money to implement your ideas?
Yes, for some of the projects but we still looking for grants to carry out some major sustainable projects we did like to embark on as an organization.
Could you share with us one or two experience(s) you have had in the course of your campaign that has impacted on you?
On one of our outings, I spent some quality time with students with hearing impairments. That experience taught me to be grateful and since then,I have been advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities.
What are your prospects in the next 5 or 10 years?
To be able to initiate a lot of projects which will help combat streetism(my word) in Ghana and Africa at a whole.
What do you think is the major cause of unemployment in Africa, and how can we get over this?
The structure of our curriculum in school doesn’t challenge us to be entrepreneurial. We need to regig our education system to be skills-oriented.
If you had an opportunity to speak to presidents in Africa, what would be your message.
Implement policies that will allow young people have a seat at the decision table. We need an inclusive governance.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Congrats on the new role!
ReplyDeleteMy mission is to " inspire, impact people to add value to the society" starting from here, giving me a short will be a better idea, also making my dream come through in my speaking career. I have always wish to be what I'm passionate about. Thanks your Patrick Mbali aka "Butterfly". Patrick Mbali #mbalimotivation #Butterfly https://bit.ly/3sPqze3
#leadership #people #creativity #success #innovation #happiness #pmm #society #culture #inspiration