Dr. Mrs. Vida Owusu Prempeh, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Marketing, Sunyani Technical University, has called on beneficiaries of the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF) Scholarship Scheme to deliberately use networking as a tool for giving back to their communities and driving sustainable development.
She made the call while speaking on the topic: “Networking – Giving Back to Community: The Power of Networking” at the maiden Homecoming of NADeF scholarship beneficiaries, held at the NADeF office premises at Ntotroso in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.
Dr. Mrs. Owusu Prempeh noted that networking is often misunderstood as merely exchanging business cards or seeking personal gain.
According to her, true networking, particularly within a community context, is about building genuine relationships, fostering collaboration, and creating a strong support system that benefits all members.
Shared background
She emphasised that their shared background as beneficiaries from Newmont’s ten host communities in Ahafo provides a strong foundation for collaboration.
“You understand the challenges and opportunities within your communities better than anyone else, and this common ground is a fertile starting point for impactful initiatives,” she said.
She highlighted the diversity of academic disciplines among the beneficiaries, describing it as a “goldmine for innovation and problem-solving.” Engineers, doctors, teachers, agricultural experts, and entrepreneurs within the same network, she explained, can pool their skills to address complex community challenges.
She further encouraged the scholars to see themselves as future mentors who can guide younger beneficiaries, thereby creating a cycle of support and development.
Dr. Owusu Prempeh also underscored the power of a collective voice, noting that a united network of educated individuals from Ahafo can influence policy decisions, advocate for community needs, and attract investments and resources.
As part of practical strategies, she proposed the establishment of a formal NADeF Alumni Association to serve as a platform for communication, collaboration, and project implementation.
She also encouraged regular gatherings, workshops, and the use of online platforms such as WhatsApp and LinkedIn to ensure continuous engagement among members.
Community engagement
Shifting focus to community development, Dr. Owusu Prempeh stressed that networking is only meaningful when it leads to giving back and urged beneficiaries to actively engage community leaders to identify pressing needs such as education, healthcare, agriculture, clean water, and economic opportunities, and then apply their expertise to address them.
She outlined practical ways professionals can contribute, including educators volunteering to tutor students, health professionals organizing medical outreach programmes, agricultural experts introducing modern farming techniques, and engineers supporting infrastructure and technology initiatives.
The Senior Lecturer encouraged scholars to start with small-scale projects while also collaborating on larger initiatives, adding that their collective strength could attract funding from NGOs, government agencies, and corporate social responsibility programmes, including Newmont.
Advocacy
She further called on them to use advocacy to influence policies that benefit their communities and to inspire the next generation through mentorship and career guidance and challenged the beneficiaries to stay connected, identify opportunities to serve their communities, and pay forward the support they have received by mentoring and volunteering.
She reminded the gathering that development is a collective effort. “Your success is not just about individual achievement but about the impact you have on others. Connect the past, inspire the future, and be catalysts for development in Ahafo,” she stated.
The maiden NADeF Homecoming brought together scholarship beneficiaries from Adrobaa, Terchire, Yamfo, Susuanso, Afrisipakrom, Kenyasi Number One, Kenyasi Number Two, Ntotroso, Gyedu and Wamahinso to reconnect, share experiences, and reflect on their role in advancing development within Newmont’s host communities.