Hot!
Kezia Sanie, a global humanitarian figure supporting underprivileged in society
Ms Sanie in a group picture with some of the students
Kezia Asiedua Sanie, a young entrepreneur has set out to create a safe haven for the less privileged in society with the goal of becoming a global humanitarian figure through her charity works.
With a passion for supporting the less privileged, Kezia at age 16 together with her Senior High School (SHS) mates in Wesley Girls started the journey to touch lives.
In 2016, they made their first donation to some needy children in Ashaiman. In the same year, Kezia and friends presented some items to about 100 children in James Town, Accra.
Kezia then formed the ‘For the Future (FTF) Ghana, a charitable organisation dedicated to addressing child poverty and educational inequalities in Ghana. Before completing SHS, Kezia and her friends managed to donate to five different schools.
The 23-year-old has since become a beacon of hope and inspiration within her community and beyond.
Kezia, a law student and advocate for quality education recognises the transformative power of education and the importance of respecting children’s rights.
She believes that every child deserves access to quality learning opportunities and through FTF Ghana, has provided essential support and opened doors of opportunity for over 4,000 underprivileged children.
Ms Sanie also teaches and mentors about 15 children from the slums who have shown massive improvement. That includes a two-year-old Elizabeth Botwe and young Prince Kojo.
Her innovative and holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by these children has garnered widespread global recognition and support.
Ms Sanie is a trustee for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award known in Ghana as The Head of State Award Scheme which empowers young people to explore their full potential and find true purpose, passion and place in the world, regardless of their location or circumstance. She is the youngest member on the board.
She is also a member of the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum and a sought-after speaker at events and schools, where she shares her experiences, inspire others, and encourage them to take action.
Through other initiatives spearheaded by Ms Sanie, including Click4Change, EmpowerHer Period and others, she had impacted over 5,000 children in education and livelihood support.
She received some recognitions for her work including the Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 by the Young Achiever’s Awards and the Pan African Community Influencer of the Year 2022 by Pulse Africa.
In 2023, Ms Sanie was named a Top 10 finalist by the Chegg.org Global Student Prize and a Top Five finalist for the .ORG Impact Awards Rising Star Category by Public Interest Registry. She also won the Agent of Change award by Women’s Choice Africa and the Unsung Hero of the Year award at the Federation of African Law Students (FALAS) Annual Conference and Dinner in Kigali, Rwanda.
Ms Sanie’s story is a testament to the transformative power of one person’s dedication and vision. Through her work, she has become a driving force for change, inspiring over 500 other young people to join in the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable society where every child can thrive.
Ms Sanie believes that every child has a unique gift and only requires support to unearth and polish it for the good of the society, hence positioning herself to support thousands of children around the world.
Ms Sanie is looking forward to building a resource centre that would assist children across Africa and beyond and provide them an enabling environment to unearth their talents and grow.
She loves listening to gospel music, reading and visiting the beach when she is not engaged in charity works.
By Michael D. Abayateye
Hot!
Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
Hot!
Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada
