Features
The RAIN Foundation’s Awards in Finland
A few weeks ago on July 27, 2025, the Finland edition of the National Youth Shakers Conclave & Awards event was held in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. The ceremony saw the honouring of personalities whose contributions have impacted society.
Today, I bring to readers the nature of the awards and the group that organised it, and in my subsequent write-ups I hope to write about some of the recipients of the awards, especially those of Ghanaian descent.
The awards were organised by the RAIN Foundation. RAIN is an acronym for Relevant Achievers Impacting Nations, and the foundation organised the awards in partnership with the World Conference of Mayors Inc., which is based in USA.
Operations
The RAIN Foundation has officially been organising the awards since 2022, although the foundation has been in existence for about 20 years now. The aim of the awards is based on what is described as a five-star project or tenet—appreciation; authority; foundation; legacy; and succession.
In a short interview, the founding President of RAIN Foundation, Ralph Antwi, Esq. (also known as Author Ralph) said the aims and hopes for the awards, among others, are to recognise and appreciate what the recipients have done in society.
The awards encourage contributions for the good of posterity, while their legacy should be immortalised to encourage the next generations that succeeds the present generation, to have something as a guide for emulation.
The RAIN Foundation also aims to encourage award recipients and others to excel in their professions or areas of expertise through contributions to their communities and the world.
Categories of awards
The RAIN Foundation organises the National Youth Conclave and Awards where those who have excelled are honoured in categories such as leadership roles; academic achievement or contribution; community service; media and technology, etc.
The National Youth Conclave is nation-specific. It has been held in countries such as South Africa, Finland, etc. Mr. Antwi said in future, the Foundation hopes to organise the awards in Greece and other places.
Another award organised by the Foundation is the Predecessors Awards, which has continent-specific editions held in Africa, Europe, Caribbean, Americas, Middle East, etc.
The Finland event
The National Youth Shakers Conclave & Awards event in Finland was quite well attended in Helsinki, the capital city. Those who won awards included Ghanaian migrants and others from other parts of Africa, as well as some Finnish personalities.
The areas of recognition were leadership, community services, media and innovation, political/civic youth leadership, etc.
Author Ralph Antwi indicated that he was impressed that the Finland event had a high quality proceedings and attendance. He said there were plans to make the Finland edition an annual affair and was hopeful that it would be sustained and expanded to other categories.
The way forward
Other awards ceremonies will continue to be organised in various countries to recognise and appreciate contributions made by the recipients in various areas of operations and expertise.
Author Ralph Antwi also revealed that there are plans to organise a Ladies’ High Tea Awards to honour women in the areas they are doing well in society and in various categories such as gender advocacy, innovation, etc.
This is no doubt a positive move.
Email: perpetual.crentsil@yahoo.com
By Perpetual Crentsil
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
