Meet the new HA: Ghana Ghana volunteers for 2016-17

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When Conor Robinson first began planning for the launch of the Humanist Action: Ghana, he assumed that he would need to spend at least three to five years on the ground in Ghana to ensure program stability. Thanks in large part to the efforts of our incredible inaugural team and the reliability of Songtaba's staff, that estimate proved to be very conservative. After being in Ghana only one year, he has returned to the United States to focus on recruiting, training, and fundraising for the program. This is a necessary pivot as the program enters its second phase of development: solidifying and expanding HA: Ghana's Ghana office while working to identify the location and partner organization for the second Humanist Action: Ghana office.

Cleopatra Blacke and Wendy Webber taken over the administrative duties of HA: Ghana: Ghana. Cleo is a member of the Humanist Association of Ghana, and the only Ghanaian on the inaugural HA: Ghana team. Wendy was a member of Pathfinders Project, the international humanist service trip sponsored by Foundation Beyond Belief as the first step toward the Humanist Action: Ghana. Wendy previously served as FBB's Beyond Belief Network Coordinator and Humanist Disaster Recovery Coordinator.

The next phase of HA: Ghana development requires superb organization and volunteer management from the administrative team, and that's exactly why Cleo and Wendy have been chosen. They are driven. They are meticulous. They are excellent coaches and communicators. We can't wait to see where they take HA: Ghana: Ghana.

Cleo and Wendy will be managing a team comprising two volunteers from Ghana's Northern Region and three from the United States. The two Ghanaians are Baako Alhassan and Lukeman Domba. Baako served as the research assistant to Leo Igwe, the Nigerian humanist who recently completed his doctoral thesis work on Ghanaian witchcraft accusations and who originally suggested Pathfinders Project visit Songtaba. After translating for Leo at the Northern Region's camps for alleged witches, Baako became a fierce advocate for the rights of accused women and other marginalized communities. Baako will likely be one of the HA: Ghana volunteers who support Songtaba's reintegration efforts in the coming program cycle.

Lukeman is an ambitious do-gooder with a background in agriculture. Whereas most Ghanaians teach during their required year of national service, Lukeman approached a mentor at GCB Bank with a proposal to bring in 1,000 new small business loans and bank accounts from farmers. Lukeman knew that the farmers needed the capital and the banks needed the loans. He surpassed his goal of 1,000 loans with a high rate of repayment that first year and, unsurprisingly, the bank asked him to stay on. As he continued working at the bank, Lukeman started a poultry farm. Lukeman now employs four people at Harl Farms and hopes to expand in the near future. For the next program year, Lukeman will bolster Songtaba's livelihood programs for women's groups in the Northern Region by organizing business and agriculture trainings. 

From across the pond, Baako and Lukeman have been joined by George Gold, Warren Alan Tidwell, and Jude Lane. George is a lifelong activist from Northern California. He was a lecturer for Men Against Rape and spoke at high schools and colleges throughout Santa Cruz County, resulting in his appointment to the City Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women. George has served as President of the Atheists of Butte County, as a Member of the Chico Interfaith Council, and as the Coordinator of the Butte County Coalition of Reason

George has worked for the past 25 years as a computer systems engineer and brings a wealth of other experience to Ghana. He taught various grades in Long Beach schools and the Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice system. He has also worked as a dishwasher, factory worker, construction worker, bus driver, and professional photographer. Though we will try to use as many of George's skills as possible, we will probably tap him to help Songtaba design and implement data management systems in general and support Songtaba's Community-Based Advocacy Teams and Youth Campaigners, key resources in the day to day fight against gender-based violence and discrimination, including witchcraft accusations. 

Warren is a lifelong Alabama resident. Since the advent of the internet, Warren has used blogs and social media to organize thousands of volunteers and secure millions in financial and material donations for disaster relief and recovery efforts. He worked as a volunteer in rural Hancock County, Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and drove over 11,000 miles in 12 weeks to create a network of small non-profits in the southeastern United States after the 2011 tornado Super Outbreak. As a result of these extensive networking efforts, Warren was also able to help set up operations when subsequent tornado outbreaks affected Joplin, Missouri and Piedmont, Oklahoma. Warren sparked a worldwide movement when he started 26 Acts of Kindness after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. In addition to his social media savvy, Warren is a talented writer and speaker. He'll likely be working with Songtaba to continue developing its internal communications procedures and external communications strategy.  

Jude Lane was born and raised in Arkansas. He began volunteering internationally when he was eleven with food and clothing distribution projects in Mexico, Bolivia, and El Salvador. Jude obtained a degree in Spanish and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) from Evangel University with the intention of returning to Latin America for more humanitarian work. While researching opportunities, Jude discovered another love: working with children. For the past two years, Jude has worked as a youth care specialist at a Springfield, Missouri children's emergency care facility for children in poverty-stricken, drug-afflicted, or abusive homes. He lights up when talking about the relationships he formed with the children under his care, and he'll be a perfect fit for supporting Songtaba's education programs.

Please consider sponsoring an HA: Ghana volunteer to stay connected to our work and guarantee a regular source of support for impoverished communities in Ghana's Northern Region. Or sign up to be one of the HA: Ghana Heroes and HA: Ghana Helpers who enable HA: Ghana to be what a humanist service program should be. All HA: Ghana Heroes and HA: Ghana Helpers will be featured on the HA: Ghana website and will receive a special, quarterly report directly from the HA: Ghana volunteers.

Additionally, HA: Ghana Heroes and HA: Ghana Helpers will have the chance to win prizes such as HA: Ghana batik totes, colorful Ghana-print bags, and HA: Ghana t-shirts! You can also follow the team on Facebook for the latest updates on their program.

Featured photo: Naduah Wheeler, from HA: Ghana's first year, meets with the newest HA: Ghana volunteers. (l-r) Jude Lane, Naduah Wheeler, Warren Alan Tidwell, Wendy Webber, George Gold, and Cleopatra Blacke. Top photo:The U.S. half of the 2016-2017 HA: Ghana team which departed on July 5 for Ghana. Pictured below (from right to left): HA: Ghana Program Director Conor Robinson who will remain in the US, HA: Ghana: Ghana Co-Coordinator Wendy Webber, and HA: Ghana volunteers Jude Lane, Warren Alan Tidwell, and George Gold.