In the quiet hours of dawn, when the world is still cloaked in soft shades of gray, Ewura Ama Jenkins rises. The rhythmic hum of life in Accra, Ghana, begins to awaken as she brews her first cup of tea, her thoughts already steeped in ambition. Ewura Ama is not just a woman; she is a strategist, a mentor, and a builder of possibilities—a force of nature in human form.
Her journey began in 2016 when, fresh out of high school, she took a bold step: founding Reformation Community, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve their full potential. “I recognized a significant gap,” Ewura Ama recalls. “Many communities faced pressing challenges but lacked the education, tools, and personnel to engage effectively with solutions.” Her vision was clear: to create opportunities that would equip others to solve societal problems and contribute to Ghana’s sustainable development.
At its core, Reformation Community is about fostering growth and resilience at both the individual and community levels. The organization focuses on developing sustainable business models, ensuring good corporate governance, and driving scalability for impactful growth. From its inception, the enterprise has tackled barriers to education, leadership, and societal innovation, aiming to bring transformation where it’s needed most.
Out of this vision emerged one of Reformation Community’s most impactful initiatives—the Booksville Mobile Library Project. Designed to serve children aged 7 to 15, the project was Ewura Ama’s response to the urgent need for literacy and critical thinking resources in underserved communities. “I wanted to foster a love for reading and equip students with the skills to think critically and solve problems,” she explains.
The journey to bring Booksville to life began in 2019 when Ewura Ama pitched the idea at the “Botaepa” Social Venture Challenge during the Life Link Model United Nations Conference. She won first place, marking a pivotal moment for the project. Encouraged by this success, she took the project to the global stage, pitching it again at the Resolution Fellowship’s Social Venture Challenge during the Harvard Model United Nations Conference in 2020. Her presentation earned her not only recognition but also seed funding to launch the initiative.
Between 2021 and 2023, Ewura Ama demonstrated her ability to transform passion into actionable results by organizing a series of fundraisers to sustain and expand the Booksville Mobile Library Project. Over three years, she raised $10,000, enabling her team to purchase more books, expand their outreach, and improve their logistics. These funds also allowed the initiative to deliver tailored mentorship sessions for students, focusing not just on literacy but on nurturing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. “Fundraising is about building trust,” Ewura Ama reflects. “People need to believe in the vision as much as you do, and that means being transparent and results-driven.”
By 2023, Booksville had reached over 300 students across five schools in three regions of Ghana. Through mobile libraries and interactive workshops, Ewura Ama and her team of dedicated volunteers—growing from an initial group of 10 to 35—delivered books, resources, and mentorship to young learners. “The goal isn’t just literacy,” Ewura Ama emphasizes. “It’s about cultivating a mindset that sees challenges as opportunities to create change.”
Her impact extends beyond children. Recognizing the need to cultivate leadership among young adults, Ewura Ama launched University Chapters in eight institutions across Ghana. These chapters train students aged 18 to 24 in problem-solving and leadership, using mentorship and competitions to foster growth. Within a year, over 400 young people had benefited.
Additionally, Ewura Ama has leveraged strategic partnerships to amplify the impact of Reformation Community. Collaborating with institutions like ABSA Bank Ghana has been instrumental in supporting initiatives such as the Reformation Community Leadership Summit. “By aligning our goals with sponsors’ objectives, we’ve been able to create mutually beneficial partnerships,” she explains. “For example, ABSA Bank’s interest in onboarding student accounts seamlessly aligned with our goal to empower young leaders. It’s partnerships like these that make sustainable impact possible.”
Another significant partnership has been with UNAIDS Ghana, focused on supporting children and orphans impacted by HIV. Through this initiative, Reformation Community combines advocacy with tangible support, addressing both immediate needs and long-term solutions. “UNAIDS shares our belief in creating opportunities for the most vulnerable,” Ewura Ama shares. “Together, we’ve been able to provide educational resources, mentorship, and emotional support to children who might otherwise have been left behind.”
Beyond these initiatives, Ewura Ama is also deeply invested in fostering innovation and sustainability across industries. Recently, she participated in a green hydrogen study trip to Germany, sponsored by the German government, to explore its potential for Africa. “Renewable energy and sustainability are crucial for the future of the continent,” she remarks. “The possibilities of green hydrogen, in particular, can revolutionize energy access and economic growth in Africa, and I’m excited to be part of that conversation.”
But the path hasn’t been without obstacles. Reviving dormant volunteer participation and securing sponsorships posed significant challenges. Ewura Ama tackled these with creativity and collaboration. “We introduced a peer-to-peer mentorship program and aligned our goals with sponsors’ interests,” she says. “The lesson here is that community-driven solutions and strategic partnerships are key to overcoming hurdles.”
Today, Ewura Ama wears many hats. As the Regional Partnerships Lead at Afro Park, she builds and manages strategic relationships, drives growth, and oversees partnership projects. She is also deeply involved in renewable energy initiatives and cultural collaborations. One of her most innovative upcoming projects is the gamification of carbon project development for children in the Booksville community. “We want to teach problem-solving through practical, interactive experiences,” she says, excitement lighting up her voice.
Reflecting on her journey, Ewura Ama shares her most profound lesson: “Collaboration and resilience are everything. No initiative succeeds in isolation—it’s the collective effort of a dedicated team and supportive partners that drives change.”
With every project she launches and every young mind she mentors, Ewura Ama Jenkins is proving that dreams, when nurtured, can grow into realities that change lives. “We all have the power to create solutions,” she says. “The key is to start, no matter how small.”
