Meet our volunteer of the week...

Barbara Aboagye

Profile...


I am a civil engineering student of KNUST,Ghana.I spent my childhood right in Ghana, attended various high schools and got the opportunity to start my secondary education in Wesley Girls high School.My life now is as a result of the holistic education I was privileged to receive. During my secondary education, I got the opportunity to serve as the co-coordinator of the energy conservation committee and learnt quite a lot.I realized that the major canker in Africa was not LACK but our inability to appreciate and make use of what we have.A seed was sown and I started to nurture the desire to be a social change maker.Also whiles in WGHS, I got the opportunity to serve as the public relations officer for ECO club as well as the Writers and Debators Club.A position which has in one way or the other boosted my ego,confidence and given me the opportunity to interact with quite a number of people who are now playing an important role in my life.Am a writer,a politician and an innovator.The most beautiful thing in life is something not gained but achieved with God,tireless effort and determination.I might not be a super hero but one thing am proud of is am loyal to Africa and I will do anything in my capacity to make Africa stand tall as one of the giants of this world. Eventhough am a yet to be civil engineer,I have great desire for the poor and physically challenged hence my desire to set up a SAVE A LIFE FUND to help any person in need and is low on money.Africa can only be a better place if we make a conscious effort to develop it hence my excitement when I got the opportunity to be a volunteer for the IHAV conference.I believe have made it far in life because of my confidence and desire to succeed which I love to term as “annoyingly confident”.Am not the best, I might not even me among the best.I might be a shadow of the real picture but my real joy is the knowledge that in one way or the other I helped made Africa a better place.

iHav Africa Officers Profile..

Board of Trustees

NAME: BEKIMPILO NDLOVU

AGE: 23

HOBBIES: READING,WRITING SHORT ARTICLES,TRAVELLING, PLAYING SUDOKU AND INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND AGE BANDS

PROFESSION: ACTUARIAL SCIENCE STUDENT

COUNTRY: ZIMBABWE

ROLE IN IHAV: VICE PRESIDENT

BRIEF SUMMARY

I am a self starter, and an individual who has great appreciation for innovation. I was born and raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where I did my primary and secondary school studies, and currently studying at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST ZW) in Bulawayo. This has not confined me to the boundaries of my hometown or country; I believe I have attained the much needed global citizenry.

In 2009 I was awarded the prestigious Joshua Nkomo Scholarship for university study after having produced one of the outstanding performances in the 2008 National Examinations. I was invited to be one of the top 100 global students to attend the forum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in August 2012 and currently serving as a Zimbabwean Delegate to the South American Business Forum (SABF ’13) .I am also a Kairos Global Fellow, and have had the privilege to join other outstanding innovative students from across the globe at the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

I am also the International Careers Ambassador for Bulawayo and Southern African region, under the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries U.K. I strong believe in passion with practicality, and that mistakes are portals of discovery and I am open to taking initiatives. I have interests in Micro-insurance, an insurance model for developing countries, with particular reference to the Agribusiness in Africa and Healthcare. I believe this initiative is a considerable step towards reducing the global and emerging risks caused by climate change and natural disasters, water scarcity, food insecurity and pandemics affecting our continent today.

I am also of the opinion that, proper application of my Math skill can help reduce socially undesirable phenomena; this implies developing a quantitative understanding of a phenomenon thus implying the incorporation of insurance sector where possible to provide a financial solution to the problem. The inspiration behind this interest stems from the confluence between my actuarial career and the interest I have towards the economic, social and environmental sustainability. Much inspiration from Albert Einstein and Isaac Newtown, people who realized they can solve problems affecting societies through their Math skills.

I believe in education for all, and the extensive research and development particularly in the renewable energy sectors, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a conventional approach but it can be through collaboration and sound dialogue between interested stakeholders. This will enhance us towards coming up with solutions to the ills affecting global communities today and is one essential approach to avoid borrowing from the future, which is our goal at IHAV.

IHAV PROJECT CONFERENCE 2013

Date: 24-27^th July, 2013

    Lasts for 4 days and 4 nights

Participation:

• 100 outstanding and innovative youth problem solvers
• 10 top leaders and change champions

Target group for conference participants

      Age 20 – 26

      African youth all around the world

Theme for conference 2013

·         AFRICA’S YOUTH, AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Venue for conference

    Accra, Ghana

Project proposal/ paper/ essay

 To participate in the IHAV project conference, it is required to submit a short paper that shows original ideas and makes a constructive contribution regarding the theme: "AFRICA'S YOUTH, AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP" or any of the listed subtopics.

Sub topics:

1. Wealth in waste; the re-use of our waste to improve agriculture

2. Efficient food storage and preservation techniques; a key path towards achieving food security in Africa

3. Social entrepreneurship; key in developing our continent

Evaluation criteria:

Degree of relationship with chosen theme or sub-theme.

Writing, coherence and clarity of expression.

Logical approach to ideas.

Argument’s content.

Originality and innovative ideas.

Degree of relation to the current context.

Formal requirements:

Length: between 800 and 1200 words.

Language: English.

Paid Expenses:

Accomodation for the nights of 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th July 2013

Meals and snacks during conference

Conference package

While the conference, accommodation and the majority of the meals will be covered by the IHAV Foundation, it is suggested that participants budget conservatively to cover costs which are not covered by the conference.

Outside costs which are not covered by IHAV Foundation could include the following:

Additional meals, snacks, drinks, alcohol not provided

Sightseeing and shopping

Travel to and from Accra, Ghana

Transportation and accommodation outside of the conference dates

To Register for conference click  register

iHav Africa Officers Profile..

Board of Trustees

NAME: CHRISTOPHER CHAKWANA

AGE: 24

HOBBIES: BLOGGING, WRITING POETRY AND FICTION, PHOTOGRAPHY  AND READING

PROFESSION: TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY STUDENT

COUNTRY: ZIMBABWE

ROLE IN IHAV: ORGANISING HEAD

BRIEF SUMMARY

I am an energetic and goal oriented undergraduate student of Textile Technology at the National University of Science and Technology ( NUST)  in Zimbabwe .I grew up in Bulawayo Zimbabwe where I did my primary and secondary education.

A poet, avid blogger, writer, social entrepreneur and innovator. I volunteer with the Rotaract Club of Matopos where I am one of the founding members and the current Director of International Services. I have also been involved with UNESCO as part of its online task force members that were responsible for the drafting of the Youth Summary of the Education for all Global Monitoring Report. I sit on the board of an organization called Jamili Afrika , an organisation that my friends started in Zimbabwe. Jamili seeks to promote the good name of Africa. I’m passionate about research in the field of Textiles, in coming up with home grown solutions that tackle problems that are encountered in our respective communities. I read and write a lot of poetry of which some of my poems having been published in a poetry anthology called ‘Via Grapevine” and on various blogs. I am also the sole creator of Scribbled Notes (www.scribbledn.blogspot.com) a blog that has created a platform for the promotion of young African poets.

I am passionate about the youth and their role in global development I believe that I am the the solution to Africa and the world's problems.I am excited by the challenges that lie ahead of me and I'm empowered by the ideas of others like me, young minds from all over the globe who aspire to see change in the world, particularly in our embattled continent of Africa. I believe in the renaissance of Africa as being inevitable, and it requiring young leaders with the political will and the vision to overlook the real challenges the continent is facing today.

Currently I am a final year undergraduate student of Textile Technology.

iHav Africa Officers Profile..

Board of Trustees

NAME: LILIAN KATHIRI M’NKUBITU

AGE: 21

HOBBIES:  PHOTOGRAPHY, READING, HIKING, TRAVELLING, TEACHING AND BADMINTON

PROFESSION: MEDICINE AND SURGERY STUDENT

COUNTRY: KENYA

ROLE IN IHAV: SECRETARY

BRIEF SUMMARY

I am a medicine student at Egerton University, Kenya. I grew up in Meru County-Eastern Kenya, attained primary education in Meru and passed well to attain a place at Starehe Girls Centre, a national secondary school for Kenya’s brightest girls.

In high school, I learnt about community service and since then I have participated in various community and leadership projects. Upon completing high school education I joined the Global Give Back Circle through which every year I makes a commitment to give back to the community. Part of my Give Back Commitment in 2010 was mentoring Primary School students at Masomo Mashinani Foundation in Nairobi Kenya. The Global Give Back Circle has positively transformed me into a global citizen and I am greatly appreciative of the great impact it has had in my life.

Though a doctor to be by profession, I am equally concerned about economic development, eradication of poverty, quality education, and improvement of health in Africa. In October 2011 I served as the delegate to African Union at the Girls20 Summit where with 20 other girls from the G20 countries, we discussed on ways in which girls and women would be involved in economic development of the World. I am a contributing editor and author for health and beauty for Hey Sister Get Clued Up -a peer-to-peer website for young women in Africa. In 2012, with help of five classmates I co-founded, Reproductive Health Programme for Rural Communities-(RHPRC), a charitable trust in Kenya which aims to enhance reproductive health awareness to communities living in rural Kenya.

I believe in Africa’s potential and am optimistic the continent will get better as long as everyone embraces and acts on the changes necessary to transform it.

iHav Africa Officers Profile..

Board of Trustees

NAME: CHRISTABEL OFORI

AGE: 24

HOBBIES: LISTENING TO MUSIC, SINGING, READING, AND TRAVELLING

PROFESSION: CHEMICAL ENGINEER

COUNTRY: GHANA

ROLE IN IHAV: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

BRIEF SUMMARY

An enthusiastic, optimistic and outgoing young engineer, I always strive to work on solutions to problems around me. Right from childhood, I loved to help people and hated it when people’s rights were trampled upon, or when they were denied what was duly theirs. I feel good when I help people overcome challenges, and when I am able to solve problems.

I love maths and science. After my basic education I passed to gain admission to one of Ghana’s best female high schools, Wesley Girls’ High School, where I studied general science. I passed on from there to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where I studied chemical engineering. During my university days, I worked with a team from the University of Texas-Austin, on a community project to provide good drinking water and set up a sachet water enterprise for a small community in Ghana. I also had the opportunity to travel abroad on exchange programs, to engage in different customer service roles to broaden my horizon, and develop an appreciation of different cultures.

After graduation, I received an award from the Unilever Ghana Foundation for being the best female chemical engineering graduate for 2011 graduating year. In sustainable development, i was selected as one of 100 outstanding participants worldwide to meet and dialogue on global issues at the 8^th Edition of the South American Business Forum in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I currently work as an assistant production manager for foods at Unilever Ghana Limited.

i Have a Vision (iHav)

history

IHAV, an acronym for I Have A Vision, was founded in October 2012 under the Companies Act, 1963 (Act 179) of the government of Ghana, as IHAV FOUNDATION, by a group of young African visionaries who saw the need to create a forum where the youth would come together to share ideas on addressing the challenges in our societies, not just by thought or word of mouth, but through sustainable actions as well. IHAV members are passionate about improving drastically, the quality of life across the continent and repainting a new image of hope and success for Africa.

IHAV has since October, grown and expanded to reach many young people, spreading out to over 10 countries across the continent.

The creation of IHAV

I have always dreamed about an Africa, where the people enjoy a good quality of life, an Africa where the people believed in themselves that we can do it if we really try, an Africa where we would create our own wealth and not entirely depend on aid.

I knew it was a stretch of imagination but I knew it wasn’t impossible. I have interacted with a lot of Africans who feel Africa could never make it to the heights of certain continents, but I have also interacted with a few optimistic ones who believed in Africa’s potential. Now the task was to get all these optimistic people together and prove to the world that all we really need to do is to put our vision in action.

In August 2012, I had the privilege of being selected as one of the outstanding participants of the South American Business Forum, in Argentina, to dialogue and share ideas on how we can change the world by being the change we want to see.

I was gingered and poised for action. I knew I couldn’t allow my country and continent at large to continue to battle with the same challenges over and over again. It rested on us as young people, with all our exuberance and creativity and ambition, to be the change force for Africa.

One afternoon, during a road trip along some villages in Ghana, the idea to start IHAV hit me hard, as I observed the deplorable conditions the people in these regions lived in, their low quality of life, and yet the massive chunk of natural resources readily available. It dawned on me then; ‘we really need to come together as Africans, as bearers of our problems, to cut down the many wealth and change lectures, and for once practically work at finding solutions to these problems which are persistent in the different regions of the continent. Let’s nurture the youth to change our negative mentality and encourage them to dream change and act on it.

I couldn’t sleep that night; I was too excited. I couldn’t wait till morning to share the idea and start bringing it to life. The next morning I shared it with a few friends and they loved it. We started working at it right from that moment onwards. Today, we have young people contributing to the vision of IHAV from all over the globe. IHAV, as you see today, is the result of a strong commitment towards something we are passionate about; taking Africa to higher heights.

 By  Christabel Ofori – Founder and CEO, IHAV Foundation