Giving Compass' Take:
- Ben Ocra highlights how the Ada Central Development Foundation and the Obohen Community Development Charitable Trust are paving the way for community philanthropy in Ghana.
- What are the benefits of empowering local communities who know their own needs best to make decisions around what needs to be funded most urgently?
- Ask a custom question to find other nonprofits focused on community philanthropy.
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In Ghana, community philanthropy is characterized by a rich mix of local history, traditional leadership structures, family and business efforts, and community self-respect. Here, I share two stories of how two different communities in my country built philanthropic organizations for themselves.
Ada Central Development Foundation: A Blueprint for Local Impact
Ada is located along the southeastern coast of Ghana. Economically, it is home to a booming tourism industry and luxury waterfront resorts that attract weekend travelers from Accra. Yet just behind these beautiful spots are sprawling salt flats, fishing communities, and workers who labor under the hot sun at the Songor Lagoon.
To bridge these gaps and drive true development, the Ada Central Development Foundation (ACDF) was formed. Built not as a temporary charity project, but as a permanent philanthropy infrastructure, the ACDF was designed from the ground up to support locally led development across both East and West Ada. The goal is simple yet revolutionary: to put development power directly back into the hands of the people.
Our Story Begins Here
Despite the rich natural wealth here — from the valuable salt flats to the booming tourism industry — the daily reality for ordinary people across Ada’s many island and coastal communities is very tough. For years, basic needs have been completely neglected. Families in some villages wake up without clean, pipe-borne drinking water; they are forced to use unsafe water or to walk long distances just to get a bucketful.
Ada is not just one single town. It is a network of different villages, clans, and sub-chiefs, and each group is deeply proud of its own heritage.
In 2024, a team from the Ghana Philanthropy Forum visited the Ada community. With the support of a passionate young community member, the team met with traditional leaders to introduce the Community Foundation Development Model. This approach was intended for the traditional authorities to take the lead in addressing local challenges using their own resources and collective strengths. This is the story of how the ACDF was built from the ground up.
Read the full article about community philanthropy in Ghana by Ben Ocra at Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy.