The newly launched Anwelle Foundation has set its sights on tackling some of the development challenges facing communities in the Upper West Region, with a pledge to invest in education, youth empowerment, sustainable livelihoods and community development.
At its official launch in Jirapa on Friday, September 25, 2026, the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Frank Anwelle, said the organisation would move beyond providing temporary support to creating opportunities that enable individuals and communities to become self-reliant.
“When you stand, help another stand. When you succeed, create opportunity for someone else,” Mr Anwelle said, outlining the philosophy underpinning the Foundation.
The Foundation plans to expand scholarships for students in underserved communities, scale up vocational training, provide start-up grants for young entrepreneurs and extend clean water and healthcare infrastructure to rural communities.
Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing challenged the Foundation to make youth development, particularly the empowerment of young women, a major component of its interventions.
He called for increased investment in skills training, mentorship, innovation, entrepreneurship and access to finance, arguing that young people must be helped to transition from dependency to productive and sustainable livelihoods.
The Minister also urged the Foundation to take a broader approach to agriculture by supporting the entire value chain from production and aggregation to storage, processing, branding, financing and access to markets.
The Regional Minister cautioned beneficiaries and residents against placing excessive demands on the Foundation, stressing that sustainable development requires collective responsibility rather than dependence on a single organisation.
Adding that collaboration among government, traditional authorities, communities, the private sector and development organisations will ensure interventions achieve lasting impact.
Liberia’s Presidential Envoy for Trade, Investment and Special Duties, Daniel N. Kolubah, who was a special guest at the launch, said the Foundation has the opportunity to become a bridge between people and opportunities.
He urged its leadership to focus on practical, sustainable and measurable impact, rather than measuring success by the number of programmes it announces.
According to him, the Foundation’s success should ultimately be reflected in the young people empowered, communities strengthened and opportunities created.
Mr Kolubah also called on businesses, investors, development partners and other stakeholders to contribute their expertise, networks, innovation and resources to the Foundation’s mission.
Board Chairman of the Foundation, Prof. William Angko, pledged that the organisation would uphold accountability and transparency in the use of resources.
He said the Board would work closely with traditional and community leaders and other stakeholders while pursuing measurable and sustainable outcomes capable of leaving a lasting legacy in Jirapa.
The Foundation has also committed to publishing an annual transparency report to enable donors and communities to track how its resources are being utilised.
For Mr Anwelle, however, the launch is only the beginning.
The Foundation’s long-term ambition is summed up in its pledge: one child educated, one young person equipped, one family strengthened, one community transformed and ultimately, one beneficiary becoming a benefactor.
Story by Ibrahim Abubakari Wangara
