Otumfuo Educational Fund

Last updated

Otumfuo Educational Fund is a non-governmental organization established by the King of Ashanti at the time, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Contents

The organization is based in Kumasi, the administrative and traditional capital of the Ashanti Region and Ashanti Kingdom respectively. It is a thematic area of the mother foundation; Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation. As the first to be established, the Educational Fund had undertaken several initiatives in improving education in the Ashanti Kingdom and in Ghana as a whole. The organization had projects like Information, Communication and Technology (I.C.T) Mobile Learning for Rural Basic School, Mass Distribution of Textbooks, Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge, Teachers Awards, and Tertiary Scholarship Awards. [1]

Creation

The Otumfuo Educational Fund was established few months after his enthronement. [2] Otumfuo, wanting to counter poverty, illiteracy, injustice and underdevelopment in his Kingdom and in Ghana, decided to invest in education. Having realized that financing education was a major challenge in his domain, the Asantehene instituted the scheme to complement government's efforts to address the problem. [3]

The Educational Fund was launched on May 21, 2000, in London, United Kingdom with the aim of providing financial assistance to needy students in the Ashanti. It was to also provide incentive packages to teachers posted to the rural areas, re-equipping schools through the provision of furniture and rehabilitating school buildings in poor conditions. [4]

Rev. Dr Osei Bonsu, the Catholic Bishop of Mampong, Ashanti who served as the first of the organization stated beneficiaries of the fund was not to be only children with Ashanti parentage but also non-Ashantis whose parents live and work in the Ashanti region and those whose parents could traced their ancestry to Ashanti.

A 10-member board of trustees were appointed to oversee the activities of the Education Fund. During the launch in London about 80 million Ghana Cedis was raised to support the fund.

Years later, Otumfuo expanded the organization to cover other thematic areas like Health, Water and Sanitation, Culture and Heritage and Entrepreneurship. It led the way for the creation of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation. [5]

Source of Funding

The Fund is by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his wife Lady Julia. The fund also receive support from external and internal organizations. [6] [7] Donations from individuals help support the fund as well.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II</span> Ghanaian monarch of Asante

Osei Tutu II is the 16th Asantehene, enstooled on 26 April 1999. By name, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is in direct succession to the 17th-century founder of the Ashanti Empire, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I. He is also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. A Freemason, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has served as the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Ghana, the Sword Bearer of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Liberia.

Okomfo Anokye was the first priest (Okomfo) of the Ashanti Empire. Anokye is known for his participation in the expansion of the empire. He was also the codifier of the constitution and laws of the Ashanti Empire.

Osei is both a surname and a given name. It is the fourth most common surname in Ghana. Notable people with the name include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opoku Ware II</span> Asantehene of Asanteman

Otumfuo Opoku Ware II was the 15th Asantehene. He succeeded his uncle Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II on 27 July 1970. He ruled for 29 years until his death in February 1999. He was succeeded by Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asante people</span> Nation and ethnic group in Ghana

The Asante, also known as Ashanti in English, are part of the Akan ethnic group and are native to the Ashanti Region of modern-day Ghana. Asantes are the last group to emerge out of the various Akan civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asante people as their native language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhyia Palace</span> Palace in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana

The Manhyia Palace is the seat of the Asantehene, as well as his official residence. It is located at Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region. The first palace is now a museum. Otumfuor Opoku Ware II built the new palace, which is close to the old one and is used by the current Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II</span> Asantehene

Prempeh II, was the 14th Asantehene, or king of the Ashanti, reigning from 22 June 1931 to 27 May 1970.

Gã Mantse is the title of the Ghanaian king of the Gã Traditional Area in the southern part of Ghana, where the Ga-Adangbe people dwell with Accra as the capital city. The Ga-Dangbe, Gã-Daŋbɛ, Ga-Dangme, or GaDangme are an ethnic group in Ghana, Togo and Benin. The current Ga Mantse is King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II known in private life as Dr Kelvin Nii Tackie Abia, a prosperous entrepreneur, who was duly sworn in by the Ga Paramount Stool Dzasetse Dr Nii Tetteh Kwei II, a host of Dzasefoi (Kingmakers) and other traditional leaders as per customary and traditional demands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare</span> Ghanaian lawyer and politician

Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician who served as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts. She was appointed to this position by President John Mahama in 2013 when he formed his first substantive government. She is a member of the National Democratic Congress. She is currently a member for the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana representing the Techiman North Constituency.

The Manhyia Palace Museum is a historical museum located in Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana and situated within the Manhyia Palace. First established in 1925 as a private residence for Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh I, the Museum currently provides fair insight into the culture of Ashantiland and Ghana's cultural legacy from before its colonization by Great Britain. It primarily serves "to commemorate own kings, queens and leaders and to communicate the riches of their history and culture to future generations". and generally features video presentations and key historical items pertaining to Ashantiland and Ghana's ancestry. It was rehabilitated in 1995 at about 12,000 cedis and subsequently reopened to the public on August 12 of that year by Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the 15th King as part of his Silver Jubilee celebration.

Osei Tutu Senior High School is an all-boys senior high school located in Akropong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is ranked among the best senior high schools in the Ashanti Region.

St. Louis Senior High School is a Ghanaian educational institution for girls in the Oduom suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. It is the first girls' School in Ghana, founded by the sisters of the sacred Heart of Jesus in 1949.

Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II was the Queen mother (Ohemaa) of the Ashanti Kingdom and mother of the current Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, who is the youngest son of her five children. She was the 13th Queen mother of the Ashanti Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Osei Tutu</span> Wife of Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II

Otumfuo-Yere Julia Osei Tutu is the wife of Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, ruler of the Ashanti Kingdom.

The Opemso Festival is a bi-annual festival held in Ghana to commemorate the iconic birth of Otumfuo Osei Tutu I, the first king of the Ashantis. The title Opemso, first given to Otumfuo Osei Tutu I, is given to Ashanti kings to indicate a fearless and persistent nature in executing plans without giving in to any obstacles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Esinam Adzogble</span> Ghanaian educationist

Caroline Esinam Adzogble is a Ghanaian educationist, business coach, gender advocate and education entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Caroline Group, an educational services business from Ghana, West Africa, with expanding business operations in several countries in Africa, Europe and North America. She is the youngest African and Ghanaian woman to own and run an accredited international college.

Nana Konadu Yiadom III is the 14th Asantehemaa of the Asante people.

Caryn Agyeman Prempeh is a Ghanaian medical practitioner and television presenter. She is the founder of CERVIVA Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oheneba</span>

Oheneba is a regal rank given to both female or male child of a king or chief. It is the equivalent of prince or princess.

References

  1. "Education - Otumfuo Foundation" . Retrieved 2024-06-01.
  2. GNA (May 21, 2003). "Otumfuo Education Fund Yields 2.2 Billion Cedis". Modern Ghana.
  3. Options to address the financing challenge. OECD Studies on Water. 2022-03-04. doi:10.1787/9efa6f39-en. ISBN   978-92-64-35158-5 . Retrieved 2024-06-01.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  4. General, News (May 21, 2000). "Otumfuo education fund launched in London". Ghana Web.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  5. Sabastian, Freiku (December 20, 2001). "After Education Fund Otumfuo Moves to Health ...initiates Asanteman Health Fund". All Africa.
  6. GNA (2021-09-26). "MTN donates GH¢100k to Otumfuo Education Fund | News Ghana". newsghana.com.gh/. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
  7. "Vivo Energy Donate To Otumfuo Education Fund". DailyGuide Network. 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2024-06-01.