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RITA MARLEY: A philanthropist and a patriot

The renowned reggae queen and wife of Bob Marley, Rita Marley is indeed a true philanthropist and patriot to Ghana.

She has initiated several projects in her local community in Ghana and other parts of the country. Owing to her enormous contribution to the development of Konkonnuru village in the Akwapem Mountains, Rita Marley has been made a queenmother with the stool name Nana Afua Adobea.

Apparently, Nana Rita Marley repatriated to Ghana over a decade ago and lives at Konkonduru a village near Aburi. One of the most remarkable projects she has undertaken has been adopting the local school of the community, Methodist Local Primary and J.S.S. Apart from rehabilitating old school blocks and building new ones, she also supports the children through schorlarship shemes and feeding the primary school children to supplement their nutrition.

Rita Marley is the founder of Rita Marley Foundation, a non governmental organisation which works with funds from donations and the Bob Marley Foundation. The Rita Marley Foundation undertake poverty alleviation projects in developing countries.

Under her foundation, Mrs. Marley has supported the funding and distribution of the five-in-one vaccine for children of the eastern region. Some of the numerous projects that she has initiated include building the main road for the Konkonnuru community, and bringing water to the village by drilling a 40 meters deep borehole for the community.

As part of remodeling the Konkonnuru Basic School which has an enrollment of 90 pre-school children, more than 80 senior students, 135 primary pupils and 15 teachers, she furnished the school with windows, doors, desks and chairs and in colloboration with the government of Ghana, provided electricity to the community.

Rita Marley also distributes donations of clothes, plastic utensils, food, toothbrushes and soaps to the rural folks in her community.

In 2004, Rita Marley and the women in her community began a plantation of cassava and other vegetables. Mrs. Marley has also opened a library stocked with the musical works of Bob Marley and herself at her Tuff Gong Studio at Aburi on the Akwapem ridge.

It is undoubtedly true therefore that Rita Marley integrated into the Ghanaian society as a practical means of returning to her roots. Nana Rita Marley is a living example of what African descendants in the west should be doing as part of their philosophy. It is expected that this birthday celebration will not only be a celebration of Bob Marley, but also an encouragement for African descendants in the Diaspora to return to their heritage and support the building of our ancient civilization.

Author: By Kwadwo Gyan-Apenteng