Free World Foundation is a legally registered, non-profit, non-commercial, non-governmental, tax–exempt charitable organisation in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. It subscribes to humanitarian values and practices, supports and respects the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest, race or religion. It is headquartered at Teshie, a suburb of Accra, in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana.
Free World Foundation was established on the initiative of the Programme Manager of Radio Univers 105.7 fm, the official mouthpiece of the University of Ghana, Legon on 12th July, 2002 but officially registered and incorporated under the Ghanaian Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179) as a non-profit Company Limited by Guarantee with certificate number G-15,956 on 25th July, 2005.
The name of the organisation was changed from Divine Aid Mission to Free World Foundation by a Special Resolution passed on 29th August, 2005 and approved by the Registrar of Companies, Ghana on 12thSeptember, 2005.
It is registered with Ghana’s Department of Social Welfare with certificate number D.S.W/2563. It has also been registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under the Internal Revenue (Registration of Business) Act, 2005 (Act 684) with file number TNLC 94024 as a non-profit organisation.
Free World Foundation has a close working relationship with other institutions and regularly collaborates with them in staging its seminars and workshops. It has also signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding with its international partners.
Free World Foundation was a Member of the Electoral College that elected Ghana’s two civil society representatives to the Economic, Social and Cultural Council’s (ECOSOCC) Permanent General Assembly of the African Union Commission at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya on 17th April, 2008 for a mandate of four (4) years.
ACADEMIC RESEARCH
Free World Foundation took part in a research conducted by Professor Indica Carr and Dr. Opi Outhwaite, of the Faculty of Management and Law, University of Surrey; funded by the United Kingdom Arts & Humanities Research Council in February 2008. The research project titled “Corruption in International Business” reviewed and analysed existing legal and extra-legal strategies adopted to combat corruption in international business.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Although Free World Foundation is relatively young, since its establishment in July 2002 the organization gathered some important achievements. A few of them are mentioned below:
- 843 teachers and over 8.750 pupils have been educated on issues such as desertification, global warming & climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Environmental protection clubs have been initiated in 89 Junior and 61 Senior High Schools across the country.
- 126 “street children” (orphans and children from poor and broken homes) have been sponsored to acquire life-long employable skills. Free World Foundation sponsored these children to undergo apprenticeship in hairdressing, masonry, carpentry & joinery, tailoring & dressmaking, clothing & textiles, auto & general electrical and vehicle spraying. On completion of their apprenticeship, Free World Foundation donated refurbished tools to these children so they could start life on their own. Currently Free World Foundationis sponsoring 73 people to undergo apprenticeship in various professions.
- 438 brilliant but needy students have been awarded scholarships to further their education at various levels. Currently, Free World Foundation is sponsoring 62 such students; 19 of them are in the country’s public universities, 9 are in polytechnics, 7 in teacher training colleges, 17 in Senior High Schools, 7 in Junior High Schools and 3 in Primary Schools.
Over 2130 needy school children have been provided with free school uniforms, textbooks and exercise books.
- “Human Rights for All” clubs have been initiated in 52 second cycle institutions and 37 first cycle institutions countrywide. Additionally, the membership base of our Peacebuilding clubs is in the process of being expanded in both the first and second cycle institutions.
Mentors have been trained to create awareness through drama and music about the negative consequences of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
- Since 2005, Free World Foundation provided free medical screening for the people of Teshie in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana. The annual medical screening is available in the month of August, in the same period as the annual Ga Homowo festival.
- Free World Foundation has led several HIV/AIDS initiatives which transformed people’s lives. The organization successfully formed interfaith HIV/AIDS networks in 43 communities across the country. These networks create awareness about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and fight the stigmatization of HIV/AIDS patients by promoting love and compassion for People Living With HIV/AIDS (P.L.W.H.A).
- The transplanting of seedlings has been facilitated in schools and selected communities in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions of Ghana. Additionally, nurseries have been established in both basic and second cycle schools for transplanting in forest degraded areas in the Volta and Western Regions of Ghana.
AFFILIATION
Free World Foundation is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. It has been admitted as an observer organisation to the sessions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and it is also accredited to the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Free World Foundation is a member, and an affiliate of several international and national bodies.
● International Council on Social Welfare (I.C.S.W)
● Water Integrity Network (WIN), Germany
● Stop TB Partnership of Geneva, Switzerland
● Netzkraft Movement, Germany
● End Water Poverty Campaign, London, United Kingdom
● Clean Up the World Global Campaign, Australia
● World Forum of Civil Society Networks
● Universal Human Rights Network (UNIRIGHTS), Washington D.C
● Castan Centre for Human Rights Law of Monash University, Australia
● NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court (C.I.C.C), New York
● Global Youth Action Network and the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, New York, United States of America
● Conserve Africa Foundation, London, United Kingdom
● African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation of the Freshwater Action Network (FAN)
● Ghana Association of Private Voluntary Organisations in Development (GAPVOD)
● Ghana Human Rights NGOs Forum (GHRNF)
● Ghana Civil Society Aid Effectiveness Forum
● Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health
● Ghana HIV/AIDS Network (GHANET)
● Ghana National Youth Coalition on Climate Change (GNYCCC)
● Economic Justice Network (EJN) of the Third World Network Africa
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENTS
Free World Foundation has participated in several international conferences including the following:
- International Energy Conference at the Hofburg in Vienna, Austria, 22nd -24th June, 2009.
Organized by UNIDO in conjunction with the Austrian Development Cooperation and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). It provided the opportunity for policymakers, the private sector and civil society representatives from developing and industrialised countries to discuss energy issues in the context of the existing global financial and economic crisis.
- World Civic Forum 2009 at COEX Seoul, Korea 5th- 8th May, 2009.
- Durban Review Conference Geneva, Switzerland. 20th – 24th April, 2009.
- 3rd Stop TB Partners’ Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 23rd-25th March, 2009.
- World Urban Forum 4 in Nanjing, China. 3rd – 6thNovember, 2008.
- International Conference titled “Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability” held in Bonn, Germany. 9th- 11th October, 2008.
Organisaed by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).
- United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in New York, United States of America. 10th-11th June, 2008.
- The 12th (Twelfth) session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XII) in Accra, Ghana. 17th-25th April, 2008.
