Two BU alumni are using their passion for sport to create a brighter future for Ghanaian schoolchildren.
Ekow Elliott (pictured left) and Beng鈥檡ela Ngwa, who met while studying at Bournemouth, launched , along with Ekow鈥檚 brother, Kobina, to help raise the ambitions of young people.
The organisation has two strands. In the first, the trio work with the elite schools sector in Ghana, to provide coaching and mentoring packages which develop pupils鈥� sports, teamwork and leadership skills. The income from this work supports the second strand, which offers disadvantaged children the opportunity to join a soccer programme combined with homework clubs and other educational support.
Ekow said: 鈥淚 was born in the UK but my family is Ghanaian and I wanted to use my interest and experience in sports and coaching to have a positive impact on the lives of the country鈥檚 young people. The work is massively rewarding. I have always played sport and probably taken for granted the opportunities it brings in terms of building your confidence and channelling your energies. Having benefited from it myself, it鈥檚 great to see the impact it has on other young people, particularly those who are struggling to engage in education because of challenging home lives.鈥�
Ekow studied a at Bournemouth and furthered聽his studies with an . Volta Sports co-founder, Beng鈥檡ela, completed an .
Ekow said: 鈥淚 chose the course at Bournemouth because I had always been involved in sport and felt it would open up career opportunities. The course gave me access to the latest knowledge and insights, which I found really empowering. It was exciting to know that what you were researching and writing about could have a significant impact on the future of sportspeople and the sports industry.鈥�
Throughout his degree, Ekow continued to develop his practical sports and coaching skills by playing football for Poole Town and Blackfield and Langley FC and coaching via youth programmes in the UK and overseas.
He said: 鈥淎fter graduating I knew that I wanted to continue to work in sports coaching, but I wasn鈥檛 set on going it alone with a new organisation. However, by joining forces with my brother and Beng鈥檡ela, we have been able to develop an organisation which is delivering on a shared vision and passion, which is really rewarding.鈥�
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