42 Civic Actors in Ghana and The Gambia Improve their Local Fundraising and Advocacy Skills
[ Accra – 19 September 2022] – In August 2022, the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) trained 42 civic actors from twenty-one (21) civil society organisations (CSOs) in Ghana and the Gambia, in local fundraising and advocacy techniques respectively under the Change the Game Academy (CtGA).
Twenty-two (22) of the beneficiaries who came from eleven (11) CSOs in Ghana received training in local fundraising techniques in a five-day workshop facilitated by the Institute. The training took place from 8th – 12th August 2022 in Kumasi, Ghana.
The organisations included Gambigo Ghana Project, Nyankongo Aid Foundation, Simba Ghana, Kings and Queens Foundation, Global Vision Foundation, Sincere Aid Foundation and International Ministers Diaconal.
Others included Vision for Action Foundation, Vulnerable Aid Organisation, Emo Foundation and Billa Mahmud Memorial Future Academy.
The workshop created a platform for participants to enhance their skills in local fundraising techniques and communication strategy – which will help them to drive their resource mobilisation efforts and diversify their sources of funding as they strive to build sustainable organisations.
The participants commended WACSI and Wilde Ganzen, the supporting partner of the CtGA learning initiative, for the opportunity.
Wilhelmina Ansa-Bonna, a Project Assistant at Nyankonton Aid Foundation, who benefited from the local fundraising training believed the skills would help her to turn the financial situation of the organisation around.
“This training is excellent, and I am confident the skills I have acquired will help me support local fundraising efforts of Nyankonton Foundation,” she said.
“I have participated in many trainings but the facilitators from WACSI have made this one extraordinary. This is beyond my expectations,” said Gilbert Atango, Leader of the Gambigo Ghana Project, who participated in the training.
Atango explained that prior to taking part in the training, he sought to understand simple and feasible techniques to mobilise resources locally. And he was happy to have been selected for the training.
Similarly, in the Gambia, twenty (20) civic actors from ten (10) CSOs enhanced their skills in advocacy management and techniques at a training facilitated by WACSI under the CtGA from 1st to 8th August in, Serekunde.
The organisations were Future4all Foundation, Supportive Activists Foundation, Mama Africa for Gambia, Action for Youths Africa, Change Children’s Chances Foundation and CASA Gambia.
Other participants were from Adventist Development and Relief Agency, the Gambia, Gambia Rural Poor Association, Raise the Young Foundation and Beakanyang.
With support from Wilde Ganzen, WACSI continues to support CSOs across the West African sub-region under the CtGA. They are mobilising the very needed resources from their communities and harnessing their advocacy competencies. This is contributing to building a resilient and sustainable civil society ecosystem in the region which forms part of the Institute’s core mandate.
