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Since Goal Zero and Tifie Humanitarian installed the Technology Center in Kushea, Ghana, there has been a growing vitality, more progress, and many intangible impacts to the community. It has been a hub for students and teachers to access modern technology with over 100 tablets in use by 600 students each week. Because of It’s popularity and success, the administration has expanded the hours of operation to be open on weekends to accommodate the community members who want to attend adult education classes and a use the internet cafe.

We talked with Danso Yaw Ofori, the new School Administrator, who shared his excitement about the changes that have occurred in the community. Danso is new life blood for the ITC Center; his role is much broader than his title. He is serving as a mentor to the students, a resource to their families, and a leader in the community. This is his story:

What motivates you? “What drives me as a person is to create change wherever I find myself and train my student to aspire to greater heights than I have reached.”

What is the first thing you want to accomplish as the Chief Administrator? “I want to elicit the interest of students to use the ITC Center to study more and aspire for greater heights.”

What are your dreams for the center in the community? “I want the Center to bridge the gap between rural people and their counterparts in the city through technology. I want the Center to be used by other professionals in the community to expand their knowledge and training in their professions. I want to provide opportunities for people with financial need to complete their education online.”

Danso recognizes that there are very promising students in the village settings who, when given the needed push, move higher up the academic ladder, access good jobs, and secure a good future. This also affects the student’s family and the community. “It marks the kind of change that Ghana needs,” he said.

When he talks about the students in Kushea he is passionate about giving them opportunity and says, ”people should not be neglected just because they are not blessed to be born in the cities, but unfortunately, are located in rural settings where there are no lights, no good drinking water, poor roads and no access to a communication network.”

When we asked Danso about the impact of the ITC Center on the community, he told us things we expected, like; 120 students attend, 11 jobs have been created, and additional schools in the area want to participate. But there were many more intangible impact stories that don’t show up in data collection metrics.

Intangible Community Impact

• Student Pride has created increased volunteerism as students and teachers ensure the cleanliness of the grounds of the Center.
• Hope that as the Center progresses, the economic life of the inhabitants will change, especially the women, who are mainly farmers.
• Competition since every parent wants his or her child ward to participate.
• Job creation brings satisfaction and motivation for the future
• Community Ownership has developed since parents give a portion from their cocoa proceeds for the up-keep of the Center and organized communal labor keeps it clean.
• Academic Relationships with universities in Accra. Nana Prah brought Care International staff to provide training to teachers and students for one week

“The ITC Center brings more hope to the community, improves learning, brings more workers to Kushea, and brings more clients from nearby. All this culminates to enhance the image of the community and enriches the economic life of the inhabitants,” Danso Yaw Ofori said.

The ITC Center stands out as the high impact model for how sustainable power can truly transform a community and provide opportunities for success. “It’s mind-blowing to see the immediate impact for the kids. They don’t see lack, just excitement about finding ways to make something better,” King Nana says. Thank you to Goal Zero for your generous donation of product and people to create bright futures for the community of Kushea.

Rani holds a baby she delivered in front of a Bare Bones tent.

Rani is a Skilled Birth Attendant from the Salbaas birthing center who had provided birthing services in Chainpur, Salbaas. During the earthquakes, all of the proper supplies and equipment were buried so Rani did the best she could,conducting deliveries without even the most basic equipment. When the One Heart World-Wide team arrived with BareBones tents, they installed the tent and supplies in a location she agreed to, and not a moment too soon. That very night, the new birthing tent welcomed the first of many babies into the world.

A group of locals approached the tent assuming that we were health workers. Among them was a pregnant woman experiencing labor pains. She was immediately brought into the tent and examined by Rani, who was able to help this mother conduct a normal delivery with the help of the light from the solar equipment and supplies in the tent.
Rani and this mother’s experience have been echoed throughout both Dhading and Sindhupalchok districts, along with many additional locations that have experienced severe damage and are still reeling from the earthquakes. The tents that the One Heart World-Wide team has been installing, while not permanent, provide a space for safe deliveries while the long-term renovation plans are being finalized.

We continue to get emotional every time we receive updates from One Heart World-Wide, sharing stories of the impact of our tents in Nepal, and the tenderness and fierceness that these SBA attendants and mothers live by. As of December, there have been 424 babies born in these tents, thanks to many of you and our partners.

We had a lot of fun participating in #GivingTuesday last week. Our biggest donation was made by Spherion! They donated $3,000 to go toward our Peru Greenhouse Business. project.

Ron Zarbock, owner of Spherion’s Utah offices, likes to make a pay-it-forward attitude part of his company culture. He says he has always focused on improving organizations and loves working with people and developing relationships. He said the best way to prosper during the holidays, as an employee or employer, is to fully serve and give everything you have.

“You never give back. You pay it forward,” Ron said.

Ron’s values, spirit and drive are also evident in his commitment to the Peru Greenhouse Project. As the Chairman of the Board for Tife, Ron believes in long-term relationships and long-term solutions. “There have been many short term projects in developing countries like Peru that do not provide long lasting results.”

He relates the story about how most people in the remote villages of rural Peru, wake up daily with only despair. “There is no industry, no way for them to share their talents and provide for themselves. Our project teaches them that they have tools to use to develop their talents. In this way they can serve others, create great products, and are able to provide for their families.”

Ron has traveled to Peru and works closely with our project team there. We asked him what change has he witnessed since we started this project.

“The most powerful thing I have witnessed is their gratitude. The Peruvian people we are working alongside of are enormously grateful for opportunity. Every opportunity throws open a new dream and possibility of what they are capable of. Even before they do it, the project gives them passion and hope.”

Waking up with hope instead of despair is a powerful shift. Once a person has vision enough to see how they can work with their hands to serve, add value and provide for themselves and others, then even the most gloomy days are bright.

Find out more about the Peru Greenhouse project.

We sat down with Tifie board member and CEO of our partner, Barebones Living, Melisa, to get some insight on how intention, respect, and choice are the guiding principles helping to expand and strengthen the Tifie Community.

How do these principles fit into Barebones’ processes?

 Intention is a core value for Barebones.  Before we make decisions, schedule a meeting or take an action, we clarify and define our intention.  It’s important to us that we have clarity and set our intention for everything we do.  Once our intention has been set, we respect each member of our team, what they contribute and trust them to accomplish the objectives in the way they feel is best.

How do your dual roles as CEO of Barebones Living and as an active Tifie Board member compliment each other?  

 I feel really fortunate to have such an amazing opportunity.  I get to execute on Robert’s humanitarian vision in both a non-profit and for profit setting.  Understanding Robert’s vision as a social entrepreneur makes it easier for us to establish a purpose-based, performance driven culture because we know the success of our company has a much more meaningful impact than just reporting a fiscally healthy quarter.

The Tifie Community is comprised of “like-minded” individuals. What makes them like-minded?  

 We share a common passion for doing good. Together, we believe we can offer tools, training, expertise and resources make a sustainable, meaningful impact in the lives of others.  That’s an amazing feeling.

As we continue our goal of helping communities lift themselves out of poverty and begin to provide for their own basic needs, partnering up with relevant and passionate people who help us extend our vision to areas we wouldn’t be able to reach is essential.

This month’s community spotlight is our partner on Project Kushea, Point Innovate. Created when its founder, Ryan Shepherd realized the great need for high-impact social products like solar power in developing countries during his many years of work in Africa with Tifie and Goal Zero. They currently distribute and develop those products and technologies in emerging markets like Ghana.

With a similar vision of long-term relationships in the communities their role was crucial for Project Kushea’s success. Point Innovate chose Kushea based on their three requirements:

1. The community is already putting money towards their development.
2. The community is looking for solutions, not just a hand out.
3. And the community is looking for a long-term engagement.

As a member of the Tifie community, it is Point Innovates passion that inspires us. “We believe in the Tifie Community, it is part of our core, who we are. With more people, we have been able to do more good. Our group effort has created sustainability, something that is evergreen and that can do good in the world.”

We can’t wait to be part of more meaningful projects with Point Innovate. To learn more about Point Innovate and all the good they do visit them here.