The Rocky Dawuni Foundation was established in 2016 as a not-for-profit organization whose philosophy is reflected through its mission, vision, and objectives.
The Foundation exists to inspire youth leadership and instigate social change through the preservation, promotion and elevation of music, arts, and culture while raising the consciousness of young people about climate change, resource conservation, and environmental awareness.
To become a Global Innovation Centre (GIC) of excellence that promotes positive social change through education and leadership programs geared towards the creation of a community of young leaders and activists who are ethically disciplined in making the world a better place.
The central concept of the foundation is to inspire an empowered leadership that is centred on culture and the environment; to encourage a new type of citizenry in action that rises to the challenges of the times.
In 2017, the Annenberg Foundation provided the primary funding for the Rocky Dawuni Foundation (RDF) to purchase the former Bob Marley studio and compound in Aburi, a suburb of Accra.
The studio had been abandoned for a long time because of fire damage it had sustained in 2010. However, the mainframe of the building survived.
Rita Marley first contacted Rocky Dawuni in 2016 to inquire about his intentions for the property. It was agreed that the proposed Innovative Cultural Centre (ICC) would be a fitting tribute to the Bob Marley family’s legacy of advancing peace, resilience and equity for all.
The new building has been rebranded as the Sankofa Centre and is currently being cleaned up for future use.
The Akan people of West Africa introduced the concept of Sankofa, which teaches us that it is essential to know where we come from to understand the present and to move into the future.
Above: A massive cleanup is now underway at our first ICC, The Sankofa Centre (formerly the Bob Marley Studio Complex.) Architectural and engineering plans are in development.
