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Life Skills for Youths: Empowering Rural Youth in Ghana
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. We are building pathways in sport, technology, the arts, trades, business and more, so that rural young people can earn, lead and thrive.
A young person's future should not depend on the village they were born in. We help rural youth find a skill, a team and a livelihood, so that they can lift their families and their communities.
Why life skills change everything
Our work supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Skills break the cycle
Life skills help young people break free from cycles of poverty, inequality and limited opportunity.
Skills become livelihoods
A lack of skills keeps poverty going. With training, young people can earn a living and lift their families.
Young people lift communities
Every young person who finds work or builds a business improves the economic prospects of a whole community.
Eight pathways to empower rural youth
Rural young people have different talents. We are building pathways in eight areas with partners, so every young person can find theirs.
Sports and athletics
- Football, athletics and community leagues
- Coach and referee training
- Kit, equipment and facilities
- Talent pathways to clubs and academies
Technology and coding
- Digital literacy
- Coding and web development
- Computers and internet access
- Online and remote work skills
Creative arts and media
- Painting and graphic design
- Music, film and photography
- Content creation
- Selling creative work
Skilled trades
- Carpentry
- Electrical work
- Masonry and construction
- Tools and starter kits
Fashion and tailoring
- Sewing and pattern making
- Design and finishing
- Setting up a small workshop
- Linking makers to markets
Agriculture and agribusiness
- Modern farming skills
- Processing and adding value
- Farm business basics
- Youth farming groups
Business and finance
- Business planning
- Money management and saving
- Links to start-up funding
- Mentors and market access
Leadership and life skills
- Communication and confidence
- Teamwork and leadership
- Health, rights and wellbeing
- Mentors and role models
Sport changes lives. Let us build it in rural Ghana together.
Sport teaches teamwork, discipline and leadership, keeps young people healthy and gives talent a way to be seen. In rural communities, too many young people have no pitch, no coach and no kit.
We are looking for sports partners to build this pathway with us from the ground up: clubs, federations, leagues, brands, foundations and athletes who want their name behind real change.
- Teamwork
- Discipline
- Leadership
- Health
- Inclusion
- Girls in sport
- A
Clubs and federations
Share coaching, training and mentoring with rural youth, and open a path to the next level.
- B
Leagues and events
Help us run community leagues, tournaments and talent days that bring whole villages together.
- C
Brands and equipment
Supply kit, balls and gear, or fund pitches and facilities, with your brand beside real impact.
- D
Athletes and ambassadors
Lend your name and story as a role model, and join clinics and visits in the field.
What sports partners get
- Public recognition as a partner
- Quarterly impact reports
- Access to grassroots talent
- Group trips and coaching camps
- A strong CSR and ESG story
From potential to livelihood
How a young person moves from a good idea to a real future.
- 1
Meet them where they are
We start with the young people and the community, and listen to what they want.
- 2
Match talent to opportunity
We match each young person's talent to a pathway and to local demand.
- 3
Train, coach, mentor
Hands-on training, coaching and mentors build skills and confidence.
- 4
Launch and report
Tools, teams and links to work, with milestone reports to partners every quarter.
Choose how you back rural youth
From one young person to a whole pathway. Ask us for a programme brief and budget before you commit.
- Sport
Become a sports partner
Build the sports pathway with us as a club, league, brand, foundation or athlete.
Partner in sport - Training
Sponsor a young person
Fund a young person's training, tools and mentoring and see their progress reported.
Sponsor a young person - Workshops
Fund a skills workshop
Equip a community workshop for trades, tailoring, creative arts or coding.
Fund a workshop - CSR and ESG
Corporate CSR partnership
Align your CSR or ESG goals with SDGs 1, 2 and 8. Engage employees through giving, Benevity matching and mentoring.
Discuss a partnership - Mentoring
Mentor or offer expertise
Share business, technology, sport or creative expertise, as our F5 and SAP advisors have done.
Offer your skills - In kind
Equipment and tools
Sports equipment, computers and tools, arranged with us so they reach a real need.
Give in kind
Every way to back rural youth
Give in the way that suits you. Every route reaches the TEKCHILLS Foundation in Ghana, and goes to youth empowerment in rural Ghana.
Give online by card or PayPal
Secure, takes a minute, and works from anywhere in the world. Debit and credit cards are accepted.
- 85% goes directly to programme costs
- Reports to funders every quarter
- Registered nonprofit, Reg. No. CG010572020
After you give, tell us your gift is for youth empowerment so that it reaches the right place.
Workplace giving with Benevity
We are a verified nonprofit on Benevity. Employer matching can double your gift, and volunteer hours may convert into funding.
- Log in to your employer's Benevity portal
- Search for TEKCHILLS Foundation
- Give, and check for matching gifts or volunteer grants
Bank transfer (wire)
- BankEcobank Ghana Limited
- BeneficiaryTEKCHILLS Foundation
- Account (GHS)1441 00 231 3122
- SWIFTECOCGHAC
Use this as your payment reference: Youth empowerment
MTN Mobile Money (Ghana)
- Number0594 668 468
- NameTEKCHILLS Foundation
Send, then tell us your gift is for youth empowerment using the button above.
Give in kind
Sports equipment, computers, tools and skills can help young people get started sooner.
- Sports equipment
- Computers and accessories
- Tools and materials
- Skills and mentoring
Be first to know about upcoming youth projects
We are preparing new life skills and sports projects with rural communities. Tell us you are interested and we will contact you as each one is confirmed, so you can help from the very start.
- Sports
- Technology
- Trades
- Creative arts
- Business
Group trips welcome
Bring your group to rural Ghana
We welcome group trips to rural communities for youth projects. Run a coaching camp, lead a skills workshop, mentor young people, or simply come and see the work first-hand.
- Sports clubs and teams
- Coaches and athletes
- Company and employee teams
- University and student groups
- Community and faith groups
We plan every trip with you, around what you want to do and see. Visits follow our Safeguarding Policy, which protects children and young people.
Rural communities, Ghana- 1Tell us who is coming
- 2We plan it with you
- 3Join the field work
- 4See the results
Give a young person a skill, a team and a chance, and they will change their whole community.
Courage Tekpa
Founder and Executive Director
Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2 and 8
All eight of our life skills pathways advance SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Each pathway builds skills that lead to income and decent work, which helps young people and their families move out of poverty and put food on the table. This is an alignment with the UN goals, not an endorsement by the United Nations.
A foundation you can hold to account
The checks a careful partner makes.
Registered in Ghana
Reg. No. CG010572020, under the Companies Act 992.
A board that reviews quarterly
Budgets, spending and outcomes are reviewed against plan.
Meet the boardExpert advisors
Pro bono teams from F5 and SAP strengthen our systems.
See the advisorsSafeguarding first
Children and communities are protected by our Safeguarding Policy.
Read the policy
Questions before you give
What areas does the programme cover?
We are building eight pathways with partners: sports and athletics, technology and coding, creative arts and media, skilled trades, fashion and tailoring, agriculture and agribusiness, business and finance, and leadership and life skills.
Which communities will you work in first?
We are preparing our upcoming youth projects and will announce each one as it is confirmed. Tell us you are interested and we will notify you first, or contact us to talk about supporting a specific community.
Why include sport?
Sport teaches teamwork, discipline and leadership, keeps young people healthy and gives talent a way to be seen. Many rural communities have no pitch, no coach and no kit, so sports partners can make a real difference.
How can a sports organisation partner with you?
Clubs, federations, leagues, brands, foundations and athletes can partner with us on coaching, community leagues and tournaments, equipment and facilities, or as ambassadors. Contact us and we will design the partnership with you.
Can our group visit and work in a rural community?
Yes. We welcome group trips to rural communities for youth projects, including coaching camps, skills workshops and mentoring. We plan every trip with you, and all visits follow our Safeguarding Policy.
What will my gift pay for?
Gifts support training, tools and starter kits, workshops, sports equipment and coaching, and mentoring. Tell us your gift is for youth empowerment, and ask for a programme brief and budget before you commit.
How is my money used?
85% of every gift goes directly to programme costs, 10% to monitoring and evaluation and 5% to administration. Year-by-year records since 2020 are available on request.
Can my company match employee gifts?
Yes. We are a verified nonprofit on Benevity, so employer matching and volunteer grants may apply.
Can I donate sports equipment, computers or tools?
Yes. We accept sports equipment, computers and accessories, and construction materials. Please arrange it with us first so that every item reaches a real need.
How will I know my gift made a difference?
Partners receive milestone reports every quarter until a project closes, followed by a final impact summary.
Can professionals mentor young people?
Yes. We welcome business, technology, sport and creative expertise through our Expert Advisory and Pro Bono programme, which has already benefited from teams at F5 and SAP.
How do you keep young people safe?
Children and young people are protected by our Safeguarding Policy, and every visit, camp and partnership follows it.
Will you recognise and promote our company as a partner?
Yes. We periodically spotlight our partners and tell the world about the work they do. When you back a project with us, your commitment can be shared across our website, newsletter and social channels, together with the people and places your support is reaching. Every spotlight is agreed with you first, and partners who prefer to give quietly are always welcome to stay private.
Is the foundation properly registered and accountable?
Yes. We are a registered nonprofit in Ghana, Reg. No. CG010572020, incorporated under the Companies Act 992. Our board reviews budgets, spending and outcomes every quarter.
Give a young person a way forward
Back a skill, build a team or open a pathway in sport. Together we can turn rural talent into real livelihoods.