Ramah Upliftment Foundation was born from lived experience. Our founder, Patrick Attankurugu, grew up in the Upper East Region of Ghana — now officially the poorest region in the country. After losing his father in primary school, he experienced firsthand what it means to be an orphan in a community where 68.6% of people live in multidimensional poverty.
Patrick's mother was a widow who received critical support from NGO workers during the family's most difficult years. That experience revealed both the devastating impact of poverty on widows and children, and the life-changing difference that organized support can make. It planted a seed that would later grow into Ramah.
Guided by James 1:27 — "to look after orphans and widows in their distress" — and inspired by the biblical significance of Ramah as a high place of restoration and hope, a team of professionals registered the foundation in December 2023. The name reflects our collective commitment to raise individuals and communities to new heights.
We focus on Nabdam District, Upper East Region — ranked as Ghana's poorest of all 261 districts by the Ghana Statistical Service's 2024 MPI report. We're targeting the communities of Zanlerigu, Gane, and Nangodi, where widows survive by cracking stones and collecting firewood, and children lack basic school materials. Our model partners with local churches as permanent community anchors to deliver vocational training, village savings groups, and education support.
Our team speaks the language, understands the culture, and has roots in these communities. We know from experience that with the right support, people trapped in poverty can build dignified, self-sustaining lives.
