In 2014, the company established the Volta Red Foundation and contributed $25k as seed capital to the fund. This money has been invested by IC Securities (http://www.icsecurities.com/), an Africa-focused investment banking and securities firm serving sovereign, institutional, and corporate clients. The Volta Red Foundation is committed to raising more funds to meet its aim of setting up a permanent endowment that can be used for educating girls in the Volta Region in perpetuity.
The Foundation’s objectives are two-fold:
- Educating local girls and encouraging them to complete secondary school thereby giving them the opportunity to go on to university. We want to give the local girls the opportunity to be the best they can be
- Investing in and improving the access local people have to medical facilities
The Foundation’s main aim is to encourage young girls to stay in school and pursue further education after graduating. To achieve this objective, the Foundation will fund the secondary education of four girls for the entire four years of secondary education. Additionally, it will add four new girls each year until it reaches a total of sixteen girls in school, covering all four years of secondary education. As the four girls in their final year graduate, four new ones will start in the first year, and the cycle will repeat.
Through local chiefs, the Foundation has selected four girls starting this academic year and will financially support their secondary education until graduation. The Foundation is also committed to assisting these girls in seeking further education after leaving school.
To support its objectives, the Foundation has enlisted the involvement of two prominent Ghanaians born in the area, who serve as excellent role models, showcasing the achievements possible through continued education. These individuals, currently working in Accra, have agreed to serve on the Foundation’s board.
In addition, Volta Red sponsored four local girls to attend a course held by the African Institute of Maths and Science at Cape Coast University in August 2014. The Ghana Maths Camp provides a unique opportunity for students in Ghana to explore the world of mathematics. Throughout the week, students learn new and exciting mathematics from a team of local and overseas volunteer math educators, teachers, and lecturers. The aim is to encourage students to appreciate and enjoy mathematics. Specific goals include:
- Develop problem solving skills through mathematical activities, games and puzzles.
- Experience a computer based environment with the latest mathematical software.
- Meet mathematics teachers, lecturers and researchers from Ghana and beyond.
- Discover ways mathematics is being used in the world today, by looking at current research.
Please visit the website for further information – http://www.africanmathsinitiative.net/ghana/