An influential Ghanaian journalist rallied donations of over $9,000 to support medical treatment of an ailing girl she hosted on a television program recently.
Nana Aba Anamoah, who works with the privately-owned GH Onte TV, made the call for donations via Twitter and grossed the amount needed to treat the 8-year-old patient, Davelyn, in under 24-hours.
In the fundraising video posted on November 26, Nana Aba disclosed that the afflicted girl was autistic, almost visually and aurally impaired. She had also been diagnosed with hole in heart, a cardiothoracic condition.
“The cost of the surgery is $9,000 and with 50,000 Ghana cedis we can save her life,” she said adding that the girl’s mother had raised 4,000 Ghana cedis ($750), and she needed public support to raise the remaining 46,000 Ghana cedis.
In giving an update of the records as at Wednesday November 27, the journalist announced that the fundraiser done largely via mobile money transactions was far advanced.
One major donor being a private foundation that gave 20,000 Ghana cedis to the cause. On social media, many commenters have praised the effort with some showing proof of their contributions.
Social media fundraisers (crowdfunding) is increasingly gaining traction across the world with people with online influence rallying others to help worthy causes.
In the recent past, a Kenyan show host, Jeff Koinange, raised over $20,000 to support a sick guest who appeared on his show.
Kenya boasts a very vibrant social media space – especially with respect to Twitter. Kenyans have in the past used the platform for activism on a wide range of issues from politics, human rights, justice, entertainment etc.
In the case of South Africa, a couple went viral after their proposal at a popular restaurant was shared by the company. In a matter of hours, their entire wedding and honeymoon plans had been taken care of by different corporate bodies in the country.
