2017 held many shining moments for The Lovelace Foundation. One of the high points was starting our Ghanaian Cultural and Development Programme. This project is ongoing and it is flourishing. It empowers the street children taking part as they learn to perform various traditional dances at the centre in Teshie-Nungua, a small town in the district of Greater Accra. There the street children have a way of transforming their physicality, strength and survival skills into something artistic. They learn dance routines and the origination and history behind each of the various traditional dances passed on from generation to generation.

The Lovelace Foundation recognises culture as a tool for national development and a vehicle to promote unity amongst the country’s diverse cultural and linguistic communities. It is also seen as a vital instrument to help citizens evolve a distinctive identity and collective pride.

We also participated in numerous activities during 2017 to bring awareness and enlightenment to events and we gave support and energy to other projects. We recognise the power of education, responsibility, and accountability in the day-to-day process of restoration. We have come a long way in demonstrating the quality of what we do and have implemented many praiseworthy ideas. While many changes have occurred since 2012 within the organisation, the founding values and beliefs of The Lovelace Foundation have held consistently true.

Looking ahead to 2018, I have real confidence in our strengths as an organisation and the impact our work has on people’s lives. With a New Year comes new challenges and goals. This means the Lovelace Foundation will need to keep on its feet, agile, alert, and motivated. This year we will endeavour to bring the best and brightest ideas and innovations to fruition. There are a number of projects to be rolled out this year. One project in particular excites me very much as it is one that will save many lives in Ghana. Also staff training within the organisation will remain relevant as the need for knowledge and competencies continues to increase.

We are a vibrant organisation, striving to educate disadvantaged children and youth throughout Ghana. We remain unequivocally dedicated to our cause and to the communities where we operate. Like always, I am confident that we will succeed and we will reach all our goals through teamwork and relentless effort. We continue to follow the Lovelace Foundation’s philosophy of ‘education is the foundation of our society’ and will make significant strides in furthering the reach of the organisation.

By now most Ghanaians are aware of the government policy on free SHS (senior high school) education for all citizens of Ghana. This means in addition to tuition which is already free, there will be no admission fees, no library fees, no science centre fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees and no utility fees. The free SHS (senior high school) education also means agricultural, vocational, and technical institutions at the high school level will be free.

I personally think this is a good concept. Education is key and critical to the development as a nation. The acknowledgment of this fact is paramount in the quest to transform the economy by creating wealth and improving the living standards of all citizens. There’s been a real emphasis on going back to basics with a drive to improve the quality of education, not just from our perspective but from our supporters’ point of view. I can say with confidence that our organisation is fair and transparent and our commitment to help through quality education is sure.

We are online, so for this reason I invite you all to explore The Lovelace Foundation’s website, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and learn more about the work that we do. I also welcome your support, as we are entirely dependent on voluntary contributions and the goodwill of the general public.

I would also like to thank all our supporters and volunteers for your commitment, both inside and outside The Lovelace Foundation. Your generosity makes our work possible.

Finally, I continue to feel privileged to see so many incredible people overcoming adversity to achieve success in their own lives. Best wishes to you and your families for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

William de-Heer Johnson
Founder – The Lovelace Foundation
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