e- Ananse libraries has been adjudged the Innovative CSR Project of the year at the Sustainability and Social Investment Awards 2019 held over the weekend in Accra.
At the same event, the founder of West Blue Consulting, Madam Valentina Mintah was also awarded the Sustainability and Social Investment Women Empowerment Leadership Award.
The e-Ananse libraries are the CSR initiative of West Blue Consulting, an indigenous IT solution firm.
Receiving the award, the Director of e-Ananse Libraries said “The award will spur us on to work harder. e-Ananse is here to help contribute to the development of a literate society. We promise more exciting literary events in December and next year”.
The e-Ananse libraries are a new concept in public libraries in Ghana. Each library, one in Osu and one in Legon, has a unique focus on African heritage and identity, both in its design and its contents.
The books in the collection are primarily by writers of African descent and the libraries serve as cultural and heritage centres based on our African folklore storytelling tradition in which stories come alive.
The social aspect of books and reading are integral to our offering. Each library also has an iHub, which provides state-of-the-art computer facilities using the newest technology and super-fast WiFi.
e-Ananse has held exciting events like the celebration of the late Toni Morrison; partnering with Ghana Reads Initiative for the 2019 edition of Ghana Reads and Poetry festival. It has also organized a book reading session and film screening for head potters popularly known as ‘Kayayei’.
It has also held book reading sessions with high profile personalities such as Gifty Anti, and former President Kufuor’s Physician, Dr Bettina.
e-Ananse will on December 7, 2019 launch the ‘By the fireside’, a storytelling session with Maame Dokono and the old GTV cast at its library in Osu.
The e-Ananse Libraries have earned praise from many organizations and stakeholders for giving Ghanaians especially school children access to high-quality contemporary literature, state-of-the-art computing facilities, and world-class literary events.
About the Awards
The Sustainability & Social Investment Awards is an initiative endorsed by the Ministry of Education, National Road Safety Commission among others and it is aimed at identifying and publicly recognizing the impact made by companies, CSI/CSR foundations, NGO’s, individuals and other implementing agencies through exemplary success in voluntarily improving the quality of life of people and communities.
The purpose of the SSI Awards among others is to create awareness and encourage companies in delivering high impact CSI/CSR projects that aligns with Government’s focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), to adopt multi-stakeholder approach which leads to excellent outcomes and also, to infuse corporate social investments and innovations in the form of approach, usage of technology and expertise towards solving developmental challenges faced by the society, individuals and communities as a whole.
