Indian foundation launched to support rural development in Ghana
An Indian Foundation dubbed “Periyar African Foundation” (PAF), has been launched in Accra to help boost the social and economical activities of the rural communities for national development.
The Foundation aimed at empowering the rural community has been designed to provide financial and technical assistance to farmers to help bridge the poverty gap between the urban and the rural communities in Ghana.
The Foundation is also to sustain the work of Late Periyar E. V Ramasamy, Former President of Justice Party, who worked tirelessly, fearlessly to end caste system and to transform the society with no trace of birth-based discrimination.
His efforts led to the enforcement of human right, the bedrock of Human Rights Convention, which now embodies Periyar’s thoughts sanctified as a charter of Human Rights, a basic document for the United Nations and its allied agencies.
Speaking at the launch, Madam Saalai Manikam, Secretary of PAF, said the Foundation would put in place pragmatic measures to address all problems facing the farmers in the rural communities adding that the Foundation would provide training to the farmers and ensure ready market for their produce.
She said the Foundation chose Ghana out of all the African countries because of the strong relationship between the two countries saying, “Ghana is a very good friend to India and it is our responsibility to help bring development to the door step of rural communities in Ghana”.
Madam Manikam said the Foundation would spread its wings to other African countries after a successful operation in Ghana and expressed the hope that Ghanaians would embrace the Foundation as it helps to reduce poverty in the rural communities as it has done in India.
The occasion was also used to mark 133th birthday celebration of the Late Ramasamy who was born in 1879 and died in 1973. He was an illustrious social revolutionary of the millennium whose efforts to end caste system and to transform society, with no trace of birth-based discrimination, on enlightened egalitarian basis were unique in the annals of history.
He made immense sacrifices while participating in the non-cooperation movement and carrying out the constructive programme, 1920 to 1923 and his contribution was significant for the success of Vaikom agitation (1924-25), the first major peaceful struggle in modern India for social equality.
He educated people through his writings and speeches to think freely and judge everything in the light of rational thought, experience and social good.
UNESCO aptly described him as the prophet of the New Age. He endowed all his wealth and public donations for the cause of the humanity, creating a Public Charitable Trust.”
Source: GNA