Brenda Poku wins Social Enterprise Award

Congratulations to Dr Brenda Poku who has won the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre's Venture Further Award (University of Manchester)  in the Social Enterprise category  for a Social Enterprise called Active Ageing Initiative (AGI). This Social Enterprise aims to work with religious and community groups in Ghana (and hopefully other developing countries) to provide programmes to keep older adults active, connected and engaged. Speaking about her motivation for establishing the social enterprise, Dr Poku said:

“The idea started about a year ago based on my experience as a migrant in the UK and seeing my parents age in Ghana. Traditionally, our intrafamily care arrangement ensures that children maintain the health and well-being of their elderly parents. But with increasing migration, globalisation and "modernisation", this arrangement is being eroded, and older adults are increasingly socially isolated and neglected. Last year, we went to Ghana to engage with some stakeholders (religious leaders, families, health professionals and home care providers) with the Enterprise idea. We developed a Framework with them that AGI will use to equip religious and community groups with the skills and resources to step in and care for older adults in their communities to enhance their community participation and social, physical and cognitive engagement.” 

The 15k grant awarded to AGI will support some start-up grants to pilot the Framework with three identified religious groups in Ghana and collect impact evidence to secure further grants/sponsorships to sustain the enterprise as a charity dedicated to training, research and advocacy in the health and wellbeing of older people in developing countries. This will also provide access to resources and skill training necessary for setting up and running an enterprise.