About Us

Our History

GADeF International in the past fifteen (15) years started as a youth philanthropy and grassroot community foundation that focused on promoting philanthropy and youth-led development in communities in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

GADeF International was envisioned to unleash the potentials of the youth and rural communities through philanthropy and social entrepreneurship to create a better future for the young people and their communities.

The foundation started in Ghana in August, 2008 as Global Alliance for Development Foundation (GADeF). After six (6) years of operation expanded to South Africa and Burkina Faso. As part of the journey, the Foundation has provided legal and safety support, human resources, volunteer engagements and logistics support for international and local initiatives in Africa. This paved way for strategic collaboration and operations with other international philanthropy and social entrepreneurship support organizations, youth development partners and philanthropy ecosystem actors to implement local and global action projects in Africa.

Working as a youth philanthropy network and community builder, as part of its mission, GADeF International served as a co-convener for African Youth Philanthropy Network (AYPN) in 2015 in Arusha, Tanzania.

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Prior to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the foundation, the foundation based on it track records, impact and success stories in Africa and beyond was rebranded to operate at the global level as GADeF International and continue with its strategic local and country level operations as a foundation. Thus, GADeF Ghana, GADeF South Africa, GADeF Canada and GADeF USA. GADeF Ghana serves as host for Global organizations like Giving Tuesday, NEXUS Global, Youth Climate Report , IDEAS For US, World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community (Sunyani & Goaso) in Ghana.

In the 10th anniversary partners impact mapping and learning sessions, members of GADeF Ghana decided to connect with members of NEXUS Ghana, Giving Tuesday Ghana, AYPN-Ghana and others have interest in an active philanthropy platform.  All the members the various platforms and network agreed that since everyone is working towards the same agenda but with different models there was the need for a common voice and coalition. Apart from an opportunity to work together, synergize and co-ordinate philanthropy actions more efficiently and effectively, the partners again discovered that working together in philanthropy and social impact ecosystem would enable the sector to jointly advocate on policy issues, respond to emerging concerns in the philanthropy operating environment as well as establish a platform for peer learning. As a result, the Philanthropy Ghana was birthed to work as a community of Philanthropy Support Organisations (PSOs), philanthropy enablers and funders promoting and growing philanthropy in Ghana to be recognised as a credible agent of delivering national development.

Today, GADeF International has grown to become a global community for over 2000 exceptional young people and emerging leaders in the philanthropy and social impact innovations ecosystem.

Our Mission

GADeF International exist to co-create a space and support ecosystem for young people in the philanthropy and social impact sector to ensure the well-being, sustainable and better futures for girls, youth and women at all levels.
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Our Vision

GADeF international envision a world of positive livelihood, sustainable and well cultivated future with system changes for children, youth and women created through a vibrant youth-led community, philanthropy and social impact innovations.
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Our Expertise & Skills to All Business

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