Emmanuel Marfo is a social entrepreneur and a philanthropist with a passionate commitment to helping empower youth and young innovators through education, leadership, social entrepreneurship and sustainable project development. He is a youth mentor and coach. He is the Founder of the Global Alliance for Development Foundation (GADeF), a youth philanthropy and social entrepreneurship network that supports innovative young people and community-driven development efforts and promotes sustainable community development through capacity building, network building, social investment and grant-making. He has been a workshop leader and mentor for UNEP’s TUNZA Children and Youth Conference and the coordinator at the 4th African Youth and Governance Conference.
He was a representative at the 4th World Summit of Mayors and Leaders from Africa and of African Descent and joined the 2nd, 3rd and 5th African Youth and Governance Conference. He is also a co-founder of Phinklife Institute, a social enterprise that focuses on next generation of social entrepreneurs in Africa and diaspora. The Institute works to create sustainable economic and social entrepreneurship and personal development opportunities for young social entrepreneurs through innovations, start-up supports and incubation. Emmanuel has a BA in Publishing Studies from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. He holds diplomas in Public Relations and Business Management and Administration from the Institute of Commercial Management (UK). He holds a certificate as a Project Management Professional. He is pursuing his Master’s degree programme in Development Management. He is the co-chair and convener of the African Youth in Philanthropy Conference and sits on the IDEAS for Us board, serving as African Regional Director. Emmanuel is currently a secretary of the Rural and Urban Development Committee of the Millennium Excellence Awards which honours Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize(LAAP) Laureates. The accolade celebrates the outstanding achievement and excellence of Ghanaians, Africans and citizens of the world who have sacrificed, toiled tirelessly and served the continent relentlessly to advance its socio-economic development.