HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Edusei Brothers - 1925
Dr. Bawuah-Edusei hails from lineage of philanthropist, entrepreneurs and academicians. On the paternal side are the Edusei brothers of Sewia and Asaman. Being the first educated Asantes, apart from the royals, the Edusei brothers father, travelled from the forest hinterland to the coast to educate his children and returned to establish businesses. The brothers were founding members of the Asante Kotoko think tank who successfully helped free King Prempeh I, from colonial bondage and led to full development of Asante and Ghana. They used their success in business to educate not only their children but others in the community. Dr. Bawuah-Edusei maternal inheritance is from Esumegya, Asantemanso the origin of the great Asante Nation; where his great grandmother, Afia Gyapomaa the matriarch of the Aduana Royal clan, was a successful business woman who offered free land to the Methodist Church to build the first church in Amansie district and educated not only all her descendants but others in the community.
Father : Mr. John Bawuah Edusei
Nana Gyapomaa's business acumen made her acquire real estate from her traditional nursing, trading and farming expertise. She became one of the first converted Christians in Amansie area and offered free land to the Methodist faith to build a church. She also ensured all her family attained formal education, the first in the area. Her daughter Nana Akua Afriyie gave birth to Nana Adwoa Yeguaa who was Dr. Edusei's mother . Nana Adwoa Yeguaa was also a successful business woman, consummate traditional diplomat in her clan, philanthropist and a part time preacher in the Methodist Church .
Mother -Nana Adwoa Yeguaa
In April 1994, Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, as an intern in Howard University Hospital, Washington DC, was instrumental in getting the hospital to send a Medical Mission to Ghana.
The team went to challenged areas in Ghana to offer free medical services. These include Nima Zongo, Bunduburu Refugee Camp settling war torn Liberian refugees] in Greater Accra region. They also went to the remote villages along the Volta river in Volta Region, Zongos in Akwatia in the Eastern Region and Cape Coast. The team helped in improving medical education in Medical Schools in Kumasi and Accra. The medical team could not go to the Northern part of the country due a civil strife Kokumgba/Nonumba conflict.
Consequently, Dr. Bawuah-Edusei later decided to organize a free medical mission and visited the villages in the Northern Region in 1999 and the Amansie district in 2002. Subsequently, Dr. Bawuah-Edusei helped organize Ghanaians in the United States to donate ICT equipment, accessories and funds to the Otumfuo Education Fund.
It is worth noting that Dr. Edusei accomplished all these as a private citizen from his own resources working as a medical Doctor.
Even as the Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, he was always interested in the youth, as he organized the first National Graduation ceremony for Ghanaian youth in United States in Washington, D.C. in May 2007 and continued it yearly until the end of his tour.
It is this rich lineage along with his own successes as a physician, diplomat, philanthropist, and enterpreneur that inspired and encouraged Dr. Bawuah Edusei to create the Edusei Foundation with his family. His track record is well documented. He has always been a community leader and has traveled extensively in the United States since the mid 1980's, helping to organize Ghanaians to give back to the motherland.
The Edusei Foundation was therefore formed with his family to emphasize positivity among the youth, the future generation as well as give back to their communities.
The EDUSEI Foundation is a 501 (c ) 3 organization, which means it is tax exempt and has the approval of the United States Internal Revenue Service. The sister foundation in Ghana also has acquired the approval for the non-governmental organization with the Social Welfare Department in Ghana.
The Foundation has done its initial assessment and has started making donations to other collaborative NGO’s, namely:
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Saint Jude Children’s Hospital
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The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa
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Susan G. Komen Foundation
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United Negro College Fund
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Muscular Dystrophy Association
In Ghana, the Foundation has already made donations to the many organizations and orphanages including:
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Tamale Children Home in the Northern Region
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Osu Children Home in Accra
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Catholic Fathers Home in Butunagyebu in Takoradi in Western Region
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Kumasi Children Home,
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Kumasi Missionaries of Charity [Mother Theresa Sisters] Children Home Mburom , Kumasi.
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Otumfuo educational Fund
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Western Regional House of Chiefs
The Foundation has also organized a successful Youth Development workshops across the globe including London, UK, Massachusetts,Connecticut, Canada, Washington DC, New York , Kumasi,Tamale, Savelugu, Accra and Bekwai in Ghana
This is the just the beginning of our efforts to improve and uplift the lives of others. We intend to organize and collaborate with partners to make youth, women and children realize their full potential for a brighter future. Dr. Bawuah-Edusei is fully committed to continue his family tradition of philanthropy, integrity and economic development for the rest of his life as a private citizen.
The Foundations is currently constructing a multi functional conference facility in Bekwai due to open in 2017, Ghana and a clinic in Kumasi. The foundation has started constructing structures building permanent structures for orphanages for children with major physical and mental challenges in the form of clinic with the first one built in Kumasi in November 2016. There are others earmarked for Tamale and other areas.