I have had the privilege of working with the African Development Initiative, a nonprofit officially incorporated in 2010 by Harvard alums Darryl Finkton and Sangu Delle.
Two roommates in their freshman year from completely different backgrounds wanted to join forces and do something. For two years, they immersed themselves in figuring out what that “something” would be.
Project ACWA (Access to Clean Water for Agyementi) was born. ACWA brings clean water and Ventilated-Improved-Pit (VIP) latrines to a population of 2,000 in Agyementi, Ghana.
With accolades such as the Rhodes Scholarship and the Hoopes Prize, awarded for outstanding Harvard theses, Darryl and Sangu were recognized for their meticulously planned and successfully executed project.
From Fiery Passion to Global Movement
Darryl and Sangu’s fiery passion inspired students across campus and in the Boston community and has truly created a movement. Besides assisting other groups engaged in development work, the project motivated Adam Demuyakor to launch the other main ADI effort, Project RISE (Rural Irrigation System for Ekumdipe).
RISE enables farmers to overcome the handicap of a 6-month dry season by using the Daka River to create a thorough water irrigation system. On March 5, Ekumdipe was able to successfully harvest their first batch of crops during the dry season. This translates to community members being able to generate income all year long, stimulating small-scale trade growth.
Currently I preside over the undergraduate team of roughly fifteen students to carry out main functions of the organization. Some of our duties are publishing monthly donor newsletters, spreading awareness around campus and at other universities and fundraising.
The Global Giving Open Challenge: How You Can Help
Right now, ADI been tirelessly campaigning in the Global Giving Open Challenge, a competition amongst nonprofits to raise $4,000 from at least 50 unique donors in one month. As a result of the undergraduate team’s efforts, we have landed a permanent slot on the Global Giving platform, a site that attracts several donors.
Now we're competing for top prizes to earn ADI additional prize money; these are awarded to organizations with the most funds raised, the most unique donors and most Facebook shares. We are currently in the top for the most unique donors and the most Facebook shares, really symbolizing our grassroots efforts. Most of our donations are small contributions from college students, and it is clear that all of these contributions add up.
Please support this movement by visiting our Global Giving site, sharing it on Facebook and making a contribution.
I traveled to Ghana this winter with members of the ADI team, and I think back to those experiences every time I post our campaign site link on Facebook or send a personal email. There are so many things we take for granted in this country. I believe we must channel our privilege to helping those that need it. Not only must we channel that privilege, but in the words of a great friend, “We have an obligation to be bold.” Working with ADI has shown me what bold, meaningful action can be, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.
Image courtesy of ADI.
