Author: Claire Hardy

Ben met up (virtually) with Kofi Asante recently, have a listen to his thoughts on all things SDGs and Global Citizenship

Samuel Kofi Asante is a product of the University of Ghana. A young man who is passionate about kids and as a matter of fact has always wanted to support young ones to achieve their dreams. His organisation, ‘Kofi Asante Initiatives’ was inspired by his stay in Nyinanasusu located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana when he was doing his national service. He served as a teacher and during his stay, he saw the wide gap of disparities in village education; poor and inadequate educational materials, emotional and psychological breakdown on the part of the kids, teachers and sometimes parents. He therefore decided to take it up and provide solutions hence Kofi Asante Initiatives.

Thanks to Ben for the interview and introduction

For more information on The Kofi Asante Initiative:
https://www.facebook.com/kofi.asante.5203

What does it mean to be a global citizen?
A global citizen is someone who is aware of both local and global matters and their role in shaping it better.  A global citizen takes action for local or/and global causes, taking into consideration the impact of their actions on others and the globe itself.

Which SDG do you think impacts the most?
Goal 16; Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Which one are you passionate about?
Goal 1-5 and 16

How did you get involved with your organisation?
I saw a need for young people to be empowered with civic education, basic life skills, knowledge of rights and to begin to mobilise and demand for social change as a group as well as individually in their respective spaces.
My present organisation was born through experiences with other organisations I was part of early on that gave me the opportunity to do all of these things now.

What makes you passionate about what you do within your organisation?
Seeing people begin to embrace, accept, work towards and exhibit the change we seek.

How do you see Move the World and your Organisation partner?
Through capacity building training for our beneficiaries and volunteers. As well as through an exchange and review of training materials.

** Creative Branders Organisation is brand new- no online presence yet, but stay tuned! **

Thanks to Margaret for the introduction!

What does it mean to a be a Global Citizen?
Being a global citizen implies that one has adequate knowledge of the world, ones role in it and again contributes towards ensuring a changed world thus being an active citizen

In regards to the SDGs, which of them are you most passionate about or which one impacts you the most?
Goal 1 – No Poverty

How did you get involved with your organisation?
First of all, I am passionate about working with NGOs. I joined a local NGO where working conditions were not good. My exposure to the INGOs through partnership projects I implemented at the local NGO in addition to my interaction with colleagues who find themselves there made me aspired to join them for improved working condition as well as the prestige attached to it. I challenged myself to gain considerable experience from the local NGO to compensate for the loss (lack of better working condition) and to enrich my CV to be make me marketable. While working at the local NGO after one year I began to look out for job adverts from these INGO and kept applying. By God’s grace, I was shortlisted, called for an interview which i performed and selected out of the four who were interviewed and given my appointment letter to work with CARE.

What makes you passionate about what you do within your organisation?
As an individual with passion for community work and working with local communities, I happen to find myself in the position of a field officer where I constantly engage local communities and vulnerable group. Working with them to impact their lives, thus defeat poverty and improve their well.

How do you see Move The World and your organisation collaborating?
CARE is committed to partnership building in programming due to diversity and inherent opportunities. Partnership ensures that expertise are brought on board to make lasting impact in the lives of the vulnerable. Once your organisation shares similar mission with CARE and has the expertise to drive projects, CARE could always collaborate on projects

Interview with Emmanuel Woma

Disclaimer: The views shared here represent Hakim as an individual and not that of CARE as an organisation and “I am responsible for any errors and omissions. They do not represent the views of CARE, Thank You.”

Learn more about CARE and the support they are providing around the world:
https://www.careinternational.org.uk/
Facebook: CareInternational
Ghana specific Facebook page- Care International in Ghana
Instagram: careintuk

Have a listen to Emmanuel as he speaks about his passion and drive for the youth of Ghana and the greater world.

Thanks to Margaret for hosting the interview

Want to hear more about Youth Advocates Ghana?:
https://www.youthadvocatesghana.org/
https://www.facebook.com/youthadvocatesghana
Instagram: Youthadvocatesghana

***Emmanuel Clifford has written a book: Leading Youth in Sustainable Development- get your copy today!***

What does it mean to be a Global Citizen?
To be a global citizen means to see yourself in the perspective of the bigger global family and to thus be well informed and prepared of matters relating to that bigger picture. Global citizens are creative, innovative, and proactive people due to their exposure on global perspectives and are also tolerant people who embrace the concept of diversity. Global citizens play active roles in their communities, and this is because they understand they are responsible of their community, which forms part of the globe.

In regards to the SDGs, which one do you feel impacts you the most and/or which one are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about SDG Goal 4 – Quality Education. Under this goal, the UN and world leaders seek to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. “Potential” is one thing that inspires me a lot. Potential of young people, startups and projects, etc. And it takes education, and quality education for that matter, to help one unleash potentials.

How did you get involved with your organisation- in your case, how did it begin?
I had a strong desire to create change! I wanted to contribute to the shaping of the better Africa we dream of. One dawn in December 2013, I had the aha moment of a “billion” Africans coming together to pick a problem each in Africa to turn into a project. This yields at least a “billion” solutions and opportunities. It sounded inspiring! And exciting! Thus, we created the 1Billion Africa movement and platform.

What makes you passionate about what you do within your organisation?
The breath-taking stories on the ground, and our “breadcrumb” successes or WINS on the journey. Wherever we have failed, we have also called that a WIN, because we picked a lesson up. There is indeed a great potential to create more impact with more support and collaborations from other organisations.

How do you see MTW and 1BA collaborating? We have lots in the past!
By identifying common grounds and creating more/new innovative projects. As well by finding strategic roles within our existing projects for the other party to come on board.

Interview with Joseph Fiagbe

Get in touch with 1BA:
www.1billionafrica.org
https://www.facebook.com/1billionafrica/
https://www.instagram.com/1billionafrica/

Here more from Prince here with his TedTalk in 2015