On 26 September 2026 the Anwelle Foundation was officially launched in Jirapa, Upper West Region, with Paramount Chief Naa Di‑Naa Donlabong III calling on Jirapa natives living outside the community to take ownership of their town’s development. The chief urged citizens to bring their resources, expertise and networks home to tackle poverty and youth unemployment.
“Development does not always have to begin from Accra. It can begin here. It can begin from a young man who refuses to give up on his community; it can begin from a woman farmer, a teacher, a student, a philanthropist, or from the traditional palace. And sometimes, it can begin with nothing more than a decision to care,” the chief said at the ceremony.
The foundation’s mandate is to close resource gaps in rural areas through interventions in education, youth empowerment, sustainable livelihoods and rural development. It has already supported emergency aid for students after the Jirapa Senior High School dormitory fire, distributed sewing machines to vocational trainees and drilled boreholes for clean water.
Founder and CEO Frank Anwelle, who was inspired by his own experience of receiving educational support, said the charity exists to make opportunities visible rather than accidental. “At a critical moment in my life, someone saw potential in me and opened a door. But support was largely a matter of chance,” he noted.
One beneficiary, Abdul Karim Hakim, a computer science student from Walewale, recounted how the foundation covered his tuition, accommodation and living expenses while he studied at the University for Development Studies after the chief met him in Accra in 2022.
The foundation also announced an automotive apprenticeship programme in partnership with Johani Annie, training young people in Tamale, Sunyani and Accra and plans to open a workshop in Jirapa. Upper West Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing donated GH¢20,000 and urged integrated agricultural value chains to attract youth to farming. PNC leader Bernard Anbataayela Mornah added GH¢5,000 and warned against partisan attacks on youth‑led initiatives.
Board Chairman Prof Williams Angko explained that “Anwelle” means “no one should be left behind” and pledged transparency and merit‑based assistance. International guests included Daniel N. Kolubah, Liberian presidential envoy, who urged African leaders to focus on measurable community impact.
As the foundation embarks on its mission, residents and diaspora alike are encouraged to contribute resources and expertise to ensure sustainable progress for Jirapa’s 200,000+ natives.
