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About Us

Learn about our mission, our values, and the dedicated team behind the Sawyerr-LaBrie Foundation.

Our Story & Mission

Sawyerr – LaBrie Foundation is a registered non-profit charitable organization, founded in 2025 by Henrietta Rema Sawyerr and Stephen Joseph LaBrie who are educators by profession.

The early years of life are critical because they lay a foundation for later development. Even though this is well known, there are many young children in Ghana who do not benefit from a firm foundation because they are deprived access to high quality education programs.

Despite the fact that girl child education in Ghana has seen significant progress, critical challenges remain including financial barriers, negative cultural norms, and a high drop out rate for girls at the secondary level. Causative factors include poverty, early marriage, and teenage pregnancy.

Every child deserves to learn and grow in an enabling environment. The Sawyerr – LaBrie Foundation works closely with our partners to make sure that children in Ghana can learn, play and go to school with the goal of reaching their potential through equal access to high quality education. What We Do

The Sawyerr – LaBrie Foundation aims to provide access to education for underprivileged children. Nelson Mandela once said that, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

Our mission is to provide access to healthcare and a nurturing environment for underprivileged children and orphans. We also advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities by empowering and supporting them. Core Values

Core values for our foundation are fundamental beliefs like respect, integrity, transparency and diversity. These guide decision making, ethical conduct, and relationships with staff, partners, and the communities we serve.

Meet Our Directors

Henrietta Rema Sawyerr

An educator by profession, she is an expert in curriculum development, pedagogy, early childhood education, special education and educational leadership. Ms. Sawyerr has a Bachelor's degree in Primary Education from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. At a tender age, she developed a passion for working with young children. To this effect, she decided to pursue a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood Education at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. Her career trajectory as dedicated classroom teacher exemplifies her profound commitment to student success and educator empowerment. Ms. Sawyerr began her career as an elementary school teacher and later on became the grade level chair for kindergarten. Recognizing her potential to effect change on a larger scale, she pursued a master's degree in School Administration and Supervision at Bowie State University in Maryland, USA. Ms. Sawyerr is known for her authentic leadership, leading with integrity and her commitment to lifelong learning or belief in equitable opportunities for all students. She also has a master's degree in Early Childhood Special Education from George Mason University, Virginia, USA. She is knowledgeable about the field of education and has over 26 years of experience. For several years Ms Sawyerr worked with young children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten developing their literacy skills and numeracy skills in Prince George's County Public School system in Maryland, USA. She also worked with individuals with disabilities at George Mason University in Virginia, USA.

Ms. Sawyerr believes that the knowledge, skills and values that she has acquired can be applied to real world situations within the Sawyerr - LaBrie Foundation with the goal of helping educate children.

Henrietta Rema Sawyerr
Sefa Gohoho Boatin

Sefa Gohoho Boatin

Sefa Gohoho Boatin is a cultural economist, creative industry entrepreneur, and philanthropist with a profound commitment to human dignity and generational healing across Africa. She brings a deep belief in the power of empathy, structured support, and storytelling to transform lives—especially those of children, women, and vulnerable communities.

With decades of leadership in the creative industries, social enterprise, and family legacy building, Sefa helps steward the Foundation’s strategic direction, fundraising, and outreach, with a focus on meaningful impact and sustainable giving. Her approach aims to combine a sense of structure with radical compassion—trying to contribute so that every initiative nurtures both immediate needs and eventually, long-term transformation.

Sefa is the Founding Director of The Freedom Institute, and founder of Untamed Empire, a 5-acre creative campus in Accra, and a farmer, mother, mentor, and advocate for inclusive prosperity. She believes that healing begins with connection—and that every act of kindness is a seed for a better world.

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