Madam Eva Mends launched the Empowerment Initiative on July 26, 2024 at the Fitzgerald in Accra.
The initiative is mission-driven and evidence-oriented
Its stated goal is holistic, long-term educational support for underserved youth with an emphasis on girls. The model targets children from age 10 and follows them through successive education milestones to improve retention, completion and post-secondary access.
Madam Mends brings decades of finance experience and personal ties to Anomabo and Axim. She designed the initiative to address structural gaps she observed growing up in coastal communities. The launch framed education as the scalable lever for social mobility and community resilience.
The launch event secured broad stakeholder buy-in. Attendees included dignitaries and civil society leaders. Pledges exceeded 5 million Ghana Cedis, signalling early financial viability and donor confidence. Cultural programming at the event reinforced the initiative’s commitment to local identity alongside development objectives.
Initial capital was allocated to high-impact, tangible assets and programmes
The foundation built two dormitory blocks with 200-bed capacity each and housing for teachers to stabilize student living and teacher deployment. It launched an after-school coaching programme across all 15 junior high schools in Axim, serving more than 400 JHS-3 students. These interventions reduce logistical barriers and increase instructional time.
The strategy is operationally clear
Invest in infrastructure and human capital. Deliver targeted academic support. Provide safe accommodation and teacher incentives. Monitor outputs with simple KPIs: enrolment continuity, attendance, cohort progression and eventual tertiary entry rates. The 10-year horizon aligns inputs with measurable outcomes at each education phase.
For donors and partners the value proposition is direct
Early capital converts to physical capacity and recurring programme delivery. Funds buy beds, teacher housing, coaching hours and program continuity. The initiative’s local start in Anomabo and Axim creates a replicable pilot that can scale nationally with demonstrated KPIs and governance.
Conclusion
The Empowerment Initiative is a targeted, fundable vehicle for education impact. It combines founder commitment, initial capital, and operational priorities that reduce barriers to learning. Donors seeking measurable social returns should consider partnership options that fund infrastructure, teacher capacity and sustained coaching.