Awal’s Children of the Future Foundation (ACOTF)- Helping the Less Fortunate, One Beat at a Time

Most countries in the world, regardless of their economic standing, have a subset of the population that is considered less fortunate, and Ghana is no exception. Ghana, which gained its independence in 1957, currently has a population exceeding 24 million people, and many of the people are in need of help. Unfortunate circumstances, such as road fatalities, untimely deaths, and other unforeseen events have caused many people to become orphans. Also, due to financial constraints, many children can be found on the streets of Ghana selling pure water, PK Gum, place mats, and other household goods, hoping to make enough money to supplement their household income, including the income needed to pay for school fees. Witnessing the unfortunate circumstances of the less fortunate in Ghana, a music producer, affectionately known as “Possigee” created an organization – Awal's Children of the Future (ACOTF) to help shine a light on the needy and assist those who are less fortunate.

Who is Awal “Possi Gee” Alhassan:
Whether you are driving in your car or attending a party in Ghana or any Ghanaian function overseas, you are likely to hear music from such artists including Ruff N Smooth or Sarkodie. Many of the hits you hear today were produced by Awal “Possi Gee” , the Tema-based music producer, with his latest hits including Sister (Atimbila), Injection (Ruff n Smooth), and Issues (Sarkodie). Possigee has proven that he is a force to reckon with musically, and now he is proving himself as a humanitarian.

While walking the streets of Ghana, Awal “Possigee” was disturbed by what he saw- young children hawking goods on the streets trying to make a living. Instead of being in school, he witnessed children on the streets all day, hustling the best they knew how, to earn enough cash for their families. It is a sight that many people see and grow immune to, but it was a sight that Possigee was not able to shake from his memory. Concerned about the plight of his fellow man, Possigee reverted to what he knows well - music- and brainstormed on ways in which he could help the less unfortunate.

Creation of ACOTF Foundation and the Musical Ambassadors

In order to help orphans and the less fortunate. Possi Gee created the idea of the “Children of the Future” foundation. Originally, he intended on having a foundation with gospel singers as the ambassadors, but his original intent did not work too well because many of the musicians did not fully grasp the idea of humanitarian work. Realizing that his initial plans needed to be revised, Awal decided to seek the help of the musicians he was already working with. Possigee confronted many musicians with his idea and surprisingly, many of the nation's top musicians gladly and willingly accepted his invitation to be a part of ACOTF. Fritz, a musician he was not too familiar with at the time, surprisingly accepted the invitation enthusiastically and gladly provided his time in the studio, along with the other artists.

ACOTF Ambassadors
Efya, Sarkodie, Fritz, Ruff N smooth, Chase, Mohammed, Tiffany, and Yaw Siki are the official ACOTF Ambassadors. ACOTF Foundation is unique in the sense that it is one of the only organizations that utilizes eight musicians as ambassadors under one umbrella.

ACOTF Theme Song, “This is Who I Am”
After the establishment of ACOTF, with eight musical ambassadors, the next step involved creating a theme song /soundtrack which would embody the purpose and vision of Children of the Future. Written by the prolific musician Chase, “This is Who I Am” is a song which touches the human heart. The chorus of the “This is Who I Am” includes the words, "we need love, we need shelter, we need a shoulder to cry on”. It is a song that causes one to realize that the needy should not be looked at negatively. Anyone could become an orphan or find themselves in financial difficulty in an instant. When you see a child on the street corner begging for money, do you not feel compassion in your heart? Do you not wonder what has happened in the child's life to make them a beggar? Do you not wonder about the sorrow and pity present in their eyes? “ This is Who I Am” is an anthem, amplifying and personifying the sorrow, sadness, and suffering of the less fortunate. Performed by the ACOTF Ambassadors, “This is Who I Am” is more than just a song. It is a timeless creation which perfectly captures and exudes the struggles of the underprivileged.

ACOTF Foundation Events
Since 2011, ACOTF has participated in several feeding programs, feeding the less fortunate all around the country of Ghana. A few months ago, in August 2012, the Awal's Children of the Future Foundation donated goods to the Remar Ghana Christians Children's Home, located in Tema. All of the ambassadors attended the event and spent time with the children who were present.

On December 30, 2012, the Chill Out In the Park event , organized by Event A2Z and T Havana, in collaboration with Awal's Children of the Future , will be a festive event, where the ambassadors will perform live and attendees will be able to donate to ACOTF by purchasing ACOTF merchandise or giving other forms of donations. The Chill Out in the Park event will take place at T-Havana, Community 9, Tema, and start at 12:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend and donate towards a worthy cause.

Funding for ACOTF:
ACOTF is a registered NGO in Ghana. There are several ways to donate towards ACOTF. All proceeds from the iTunes and amazon . com purchase of “This is Who I Am” go towards ACOTF. Also, donations can be made directly to the foundation. Please go online for more information : http://awalschildrenofthefuture.com/childrenofthefuture/donate/

Learn more about ACOTF:
To learn more about ACOTF, please visit the following website: http://awalschildrenofthefuture.com/childrenofthefuture/

To buy The Soundtrack, “This is Who I Am”, on iTunes visit here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/possigee/id480311479

To buy The Soundtrack, “This is Who I Am”, on amazon.com, visit here:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_srch_drd_B0067CAUIM?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=Possigee&index=digital-music&search-type=ss