My New Year Message: Focusing on Ghanaian Diaspora professionals  

Some top Ghana Football Association officials were in Finland for social inclusion, education and exchange training workshop

Although this year (2024) is about three weeks old already and not just started, I still want to make my New Year resolution and send this message to you all beloved readers.

This year, I have resolved to focus on personalities and highlight the many positive things about them and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.

There are many positive things that are happening within the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland, and I promise to bring these to readers as often as possible at points in time.

Health, education, economic activities

As I wrote some time ago, great efforts are being made by certain groups or associations within the Ghanaian community in Finland as well as individuals, which needs to be highlighted.

As I keep pointing out, Finland encourages migrants’ participation in the planning of issues concerning the migrants themselves as one of the efficient ways to improve their inclusion.

Generally, there have been situations where African migrants have engaged in activities concerning health or education or economic issues.  

I have written about COVID-19 situations, cancer, etc. I have also written about the academic journey of Ghanaian/African migrants and academic paths, or opportunities.

A focus on Ghanaian migrant artistes and sports people

This year, I hope to focus on various personalities of Ghanaian descent in Finland and highlight their exploits both in the Ghanaian migrant community and in the wider Finnish society.

In fact, there are a number of sports people (footballers, basketball players, track and field athletes, etc.), musicians and others of Ghanaian descent in the arts industry whose works deserve to be highlighted.

There are also Finnish bodies and institutions as well as migrants’ associations or social groups that help to both prepare and expose such people to the world.

These institutions and associations are thus networks that engage in training and educating the young people interested in sports and other fields of performances.

At the end of it all, most of the sports people play for Finnish teams, and there are others who even go on to play in the national teams and represent Finland at the international level.

Encouragement

The whole point of my focus on such personalities and subject is a way to encourage them and others within the Ghanaian/African community.

Also, many personalities and institutions have contributed to or are ensuring the smooth running of things for the migrants in Finland.

As I wrote some time ago, many people in the Ghanaian migrant community have used their knowledge and abilities to encourage and help improve the lives of themselves and others in the community.

Many have also acquired huge expertise and resources (academically, economically, technically, technologically, etc.) and try to give something back to society and imparting that to others or supporting them in other means.

In this way, the migrants also get integrated into the host Finnish society.

Happy New Year to you all. Thank you!

With Dr Perpetual Crentsil

Email: perpetual.crentsil@yahoo.com