The Royal Walking Group, headed by Nana Adu Poku Boahene I, Chief of Tarkwa Maakro in Kumasi, last week Thursday, walked a distance in the Atasemanso vicinity in Kumasi as part of activities to mark the birthday of Madam Dawn Adwoa Sutherland, a philanthropist and a member of the group.
It was the first-ever birthday observation of Adwoa Sutherland in Ghana since she relocated from Los Angeles in the USA to Atasemanso in Kumasi, in 2014.
Nana Poku Boahene commended Sutherland, who is also the Executive Director of Bridge-To-Africa Connections (BTAC), for her benevolence which had benefited the Atasemanso community, Kumasi, the Ashanti Region, and Ghana as a whole.
The Chief recounted the various contributions of the philanthropist towards the general development of the Atasemanso community.
Madam Sutherland’s BTAC, which is dedicated to investing in education and health in Ghana and Africa, through development partners of African American origin in the Diaspora, has adopted the Atasemanso R/C Primary School, and provided a number of learning and teaching materials, as well as infrastructure, to improve the standards and performance of the pupils.
BTAC has provided the school with a state-of-the-art “Beautiful Minds Kids Library,” as well as providing a decent place of convenience, a borehole, and renovated a four-unit classroom block and fenced the school, and provided one laptop for the school’s ICT laboratory.
The non-governmental organisation (NGO) has also roofed one Kindergarten block and furnished it with 30 chairs and tables for learning and a teacher’s table and chair, as well as providing financial assistance to 296 Senior High School (SHS) students.
Madam Adwoa Sutherland expressed gratitude to all the well wishers and the walking family for joining her to make her birthday in Ghana and making it a memorable one.
She said she was happy to be a member of the group whose membership included a few prominent Asante chiefs and Coach Dona, the legendary athlete who just turned 83 and still walked on a daily basis.
She noted that walking which was fundamental, equals wellness and health, and brings joy and wealth. “Our health is our wealth, so we have a party to celebrate our life on birthdays,” she indicated.
Meanwhile, a Kumasi-based Artist, Jerry Freiku alias Papa Jay of Faymart Studio, has presented a penciled portrait of the philanthropist, herself an art enthusiast, on the occasion of her birthday in Ghana.
