France to boost volunteerism in Ghana

France Volontaires, in collaboration with the French Embassy, have inaugurated Espace Volontaires Ghana to strengthen its cooperation with Ghana as far as international volunteering for exchange and solidarity are concerned.

Mr Alexis Soungalo, Representative of France Volontaires, said at the opening of Espace Volontariats ceremony held on Monday was to create a platform for the Ghanaian youth to offer volunteer work as well as create network between French and English speaking countries.

Mr Soungalo said this would be a place for gathering and exchanging as more candidates for volunteering and stakeholders in volunteering sector in France wish to know Ghana, adding they wanted to come to the country and initiate partnerships with structures and Ghanaian stakeholders working in the field of volunteering

Mr Yves Pelletier, West African Regional Director of France Volontaires, said the partnership would forge friendship based on the sharing of personal and professional experiences over a given time.

Mr Pelletier said the aim of this initiative is to attract traditional partners, associations and French local authorities in other to increase the number in Ghana to diversify and intensify French Volunteerism with stakeholders of civil society.

He noted that with the inauguration, he hoped to see many French volunteers undertake their volunteerism in Ghana and a equivalent number of Ghanaian volunteers undertake theirs in France.

Mr Fiifi Kwetey, Minister of State in Charge of Financial and Allied Institutions, congratulated the French Embassy for the initiative and urged the youth to take it seriously.

Mr Kwetey said the spirit of volunteerism among the youth of Ghana was low as more opportunities existed in the communities that they could engage themselves in for development.

He said as long as the youth demanded compensations and pay for every little thing they did for communities and the country at large to improve upon the lives of people, then there was a big problem as far as volunteerism was concern.

Mr Kwetey urged the youth to contribute to volunteer works irrespective of the inadequacy of facilities and amenities.

Mr Ras Mubarak, the National Coordinator of National Youth Authority, urged the youth to do volunteer work after their national service, adding, it would help them to get enough work experience.

Source: GNA