Twelve people and organizations who’ve pushed significant change throughout Ghana have been acknowledged on the 2026 JoyNews Influence Makers Awards held on the Labadi Seashore Lodge on Friday, Might fifteenth.
The ceremony introduced collectively policymakers, improvement companions, enterprise leaders, and group advocates to have a good time those that are reworking lives by self-directed options to societal challenges.
Sponsored by Multimedia Group Restricted, the awards scheme focuses on people who’ve taken improvement into their very own arms – people who’ve stepped up the place methods fall quick to deal with the urgent wants of their communities.
This yr, organizers highlighted grassroots innovation, resilience and civic accountability, with a give attention to Ghanaians who “do not look forward to intervention, however intervene themselves.”
Twelve winners have been acknowledged throughout key areas together with well being, schooling, incapacity inclusion, lady baby improvement, water and sanitation, youth improvement and group transformation.
The night time’s first recipient, Pastor Christian Ok. Volleto, obtained the Psychological Well being and WASH Influence Award for pioneering an built-in group care mannequin for mentally ailing road folks within the Volta Area.
He has personally managed 69 circumstances and efficiently reintegrated 55 folks into society.
In his speech, he thanked JoyNews, the Multimedia Group, his household and companions, and famous the significance of collaboration in persevering with psychological well being interventions.
Within the well being class, nurse Bless Rantam from Nkwanta South within the Oti area was acknowledged for persevering with to supply well being care in conflict-affected and difficult-to-access communities.
Regardless of the fears, he continues to supply vaccinations, maternity care and important medical providers.
He thanked his household and colleagues for his or her help and mentioned their encouragement was important to his work in tough circumstances.
There have been two winners within the Incapacity and Social Inclusion class. Anthony Osei, a prosthetist and orthotist at Nsawam Orthopedic Coaching Heart, was acknowledged for his work in restoring mobility by assistive units and help applications that develop entry to orthopedic care nationwide.
He mentioned the popularity confirms the worth of his work and dedicates it to his colleagues who participated within the workshop.
Valeria Azo Azatia, founding father of the Smiles of Hope Basis, was additionally acknowledged for her work supporting amputees by counseling, rehabilitation and peer mentorship.
Her work reaches 1000’s of individuals, serving to beneficiaries regain confidence and reintegrate into society.
She devoted the award to amputees and their groups throughout Ghana, saying their work is a message of hope that “nobody walks their journey alone”.
Within the schooling class, Religion Aku Zakpas was acknowledged for her progressive, inclusive and technology-driven instructing strategies which have improved literacy and scholar engagement throughout the Larger Accra area.
On her behalf, the group members expressed their gratitude for this recognition.
On lady baby improvement, Alberta Salem Adjoa Ananga Ayiti, founding father of the ANEG Basis, was acknowledged for her work supporting greater than 1,500 ladies by mentoring, menstrual hygiene schooling and management coaching applications in Shai Osudoku and Decrease Manya Krobo districts.
She devoted the award to her grandmother and her group, noting their position in sustaining the Basis’s influence.
Within the well being class, Dr. Amos Andoh, founding father of the Sickle Cell Basis, was acknowledged for turning his lived expertise with sickle cell illness right into a nationwide advocacy effort.
His work results in consciousness elevating, genotype schooling, and coverage discussions relating to remedy help.
He devoted the award to sickle cell warriors and well being sector stakeholders throughout Ghana.
Additionally acknowledged within the Well being and Ladies’s Empowerment class was Isabella Akwaboah for her work selling menstrual fairness by her Superb Ladies Basis.
In 2025 alone, her efforts reached greater than 6,000 women and girls, whereas additionally spurring native manufacturing of reusable menstrual kits.
She mentioned the award belongs to all the ladies concerned within the creation and help of this initiative.
In Training and WASH, Dr. Senyo Success Gbormita of Ghana’s Hope was acknowledged for his in depth work constructing faculties, offering wells, increasing NHIS protection to greater than 40,000 folks, and main cell well being help applications in rural areas.
He devoted this award to his group and communities throughout the nation.
Felix Akonta Akakpo was additionally recommended within the schooling class for personally constructing and donating the KG-JHS complicated faculty serving roughly 1,000 kids in Lente Ute, whereas supporting instructor salaries and scholar sponsorship applications in Ketu South.
He devoted the award to the youth of the group and referred to as for collective motion to drive improvement.
In WASH and Ladies’s Empowerment, Dr. Anthony Akunzulu was acknowledged for his work in offering wells, selling rural livelihoods, and supporting ladies’s financial empowerment initiatives that enhance entry to wash water and earnings era.
He devoted this award to his spouse, associate, and the group he serves.
The ultimate award of the night time, the Company Accomplice Influence Award, was offered to the Cape Coast Youth Growth Affiliation (CCYDA) for its continued work in youth empowerment, instructional help, vocational coaching, well being help and cultural preservation.
The group’s work has impacted 1000’s of younger folks and strengthened civic engagement in Cape Coast.
The 2026 version of the JoyNews Influence Makers Awards has reaffirmed its mission to have a good time people and organizations which might be quietly however powerfully reworking communities throughout Ghana.
