A LOCAL hero who goes the extra mile for a community in Ghana received a special surprise when he was nominated for a national award.
Joseph Takyi, who works at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Rugby, has been nominated for an Amazon Star award by his colleagues.
Joseph, who has worked at Amazon since 2021, is a passionate supporter of the community in his spare time, and founded a charity to support people living in poverty in Ghana.
His efforts could earn him one of three Dream Boxes worth up to £1,500, a personalised prize to honour Amazon’s community heroes.
Having grown up in a deprived area in Ghana, Joseph founded The Naada Foundation in the Bono East Region of Ghana in 2016, to provide deprived communities with essential support and resources.
He now manages the foundation from the UK, supporting children and members of his hometown community by providing essentials such as food, water, clothing and educational resources to improve their quality of life.
Joseph said: “I came from a poor family and know the issues many Ghanaians face trying to feed, clothe and look after their families.
“I founded The Naada Foundation with just £15 and it has now grown to become something much bigger. It’s amazing to see all that we have achieved so far.
“My friends, colleagues and family are hugely supportive of my work with the foundation and are very proud. Now I’m in the UK, the opportunities for work are much better and I’m able to continue fundraising and spreading the word about The Naada Foundation to more people.”
He said his goal was to grow the foundation even further in the future.
He added: “Every year, we help over 200 people, and we plan to expand this to 300 next year and eventually to 400. It’s so important to support those less fortunate when you can, and I‘d love to eventually expand the reach of the foundation to other communities in Ghana.
“I am thankful to my colleagues at Amazon for recognising my efforts and nominating me for an Amazon Star award.”
Now in its third year, Amazon Stars is a UK-wide campaign that recognises and rewards Amazon employees who make an outstanding contribution to the local community by using their skills, time and knowledge to help others.
Gayner Coulson, Site Leader at Amazon in Rugby, said: “Joseph does some incredible work with charities and community organisations in Ghana, and everyone at Amazon in Rugby is proud of him.
“Joseph is fully deserving of this fantastic nomination, and I wish him the best of luck ahead of the big reveal of this year’s winners.”
