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Founder
Philomena Ansah Amoako is the founder and President of Rural Communities Empowerment Center (RCEC), an NGO operating in both Ghana and the United States. She worked as Information Technology Officer at the World Bank. In 2004, the first Community Resource Center opened in Apirede, Akuapem. Philomena was motivated to setup the center in response to the decline in education standards and the shortage of learning resources. Discussions with local teachers, students, and parents deeply influenced the vision for RCEC: full library services with Saturday activities, Information Communication Technology (ICT) facilities, mentoring in math, science and english, women empowerment and adolescent girls programs. In 2008, she extended the reach of RCEC with a second center in Jumapo. Currently, her organization is conducting an outreach program with the Muslim community in Abiriw Akuapem.
Under her leadership, RCEC has delivered remarkable outcomes:
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Over 2,000 individuals—including students, educators, and adults—have received introductory ICT training, with more than 3,000 having access to the internet.
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Libraries in the CRCs have served over 20,000 users, sparking renewed reading and learning habits among students and teachers alike.
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The empowerment initiatives, particularly mentoring in math, science, and english, have helped adolescent girls pass their Basic School Certificate Examination and gain admission to some of the better public high schools—an important achievement for students from rural areas.
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Tailoring training programs have also created opportunities for those without a high school certificate, leading to the creation of the Naana B. handbag and clothing line, providing entrepreneurial pathways and hope for economic independence.
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Philomena often reflects that the most rewarding victories are not technological or infrastructural, but the smiles, self-worth and dignity of the youth. She believes empowerment truly begins when a community gains the tools and the confidence to manage its own development and break the cycle of poverty. As she puts it: “Empowerment starts one community at a time.”
Education:
Legon (University of Ghana), BA Hons.
Cambridge (Newnham College), England, Masters
George Washington University, US, Information Technology
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Philomena is married to renowned economist Dr. K.Y. Amoako. They have three daughters: Ama Amoako Adams, Nana Amoako Anin and Mame Annan-Brown and four grandchildren: Jonah Adams, Philomena Anin, Kofi Annan-Brown, and Kare Annan-Brown.
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