Organisation Overview
Founded on the belief that every child deserves safety, dignity, and the opportunity to grow, the Esther Dankwah Foundation works at the intersection of trauma recovery, disability support, and youth empowerment. Registered in both the Netherlands and Ghana, the foundation operates with full transparency and a commitment to measurable impact.
Founder
The foundation was established by Esther Dankwah — a former Ghanaian Olympian, athletic coach, and survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Esther's personal journey is the foundation's most powerful testimony. Having experienced firsthand the consequences of abuse, poverty, and neglect, she dedicated herself to ensuring that other children do not face those consequences alone.
Esther has served as an athletics trainer and coach at Haag Atletiek since 2009, and in March 2019 set the Netherlands World Record in the 60m indoor athletics category. Her credibility as an athlete and her courage as a survivor give the foundation's work both authority and authenticity.
Mission
To transform the culture of violence against children by educating, empowering, and supporting structures of assistance that raise their voices and bring about change.
Vision
A world where every child is free from abuse of all kinds — sexual violence, domestic abuse, neglect, poverty, and lack of education — and empowered to grow to their full potential.
Core Values
- Transformation — We believe every child holds the potential to achieve their greatest possibility. It is our responsibility to create the conditions for that to happen.
- Integrity — We are accountable to the children we serve, to our donors and partners, and to the communities that trust us to act in their best interests.
- Equality — We believe in the equal value of every human being and their right to protection, care, and opportunity — regardless of background, ability, or circumstance.
- Diversity — Each individual is unique. We respect and honour every aspect of a person's identity, including ethnicity, gender, age, ability, and background.
Who We Serve
- Girls and young women affected by sexual abuse and exploitation
- Street children in Ghana and the Netherlands
- Children with disabilities and special needs
- Children, caregivers, and families affected by domestic violence and neglect
Dankwah ACTION Network
The Dankwah ACTION Network is an advocacy community of social activists and change-makers committed to raising awareness and taking action against child abuse in Ghana and the Netherlands. A focused strand of the network addresses abuse within sports environments — an issue that remains underreported and underaddressed.