MISSION STATEMENT
WE ARE A NON-PROFIT COMMUNITYDRIVEN EMPOWERMENT PLATFORM THAT USES SOCIAL ISSUES AS ITS CATALYST TO ENGAGE DIFFERENCE-MAKERS THROUGH VISIONARY PROGRAMMING AND PURPOSEFUL INITIATIVES.
Mr. Dwayne Stewart Mr. Robert Stephens III
The I Am Africa Experience! The vision to immerse participants in a rich cultural experience was born from our interactions with students during our Summer 2016 “Gs to Gents” initiative. During this program, we had the opportunity to delve into some of the abiding philosophies that make up our students’ worlvdviews. After the month-long initiative, it became evident that Change Makers Academy was in a unique position to increase exposure to create, not only better students academically, but more effective global citizens.
In Spring 2017, the I Am Africa Experience began with seven students in Johannesburg, South Africa. In Spring 2018, participation more than doubled to 16 participants. The annual program is a means to immerse participants in an alternative cultural experience using the underpinnings of diversity, environment, and global service. The experience seeks to balance the narrative of the regions of Africa while exposing participants to concepts that extend beyond their everyday realities and worldviews. e vision continues to be a reality through your support, and we want to Th thank you once again for partnering with us! We hope this keepsake will give you a taste of the life-changing experience that you made possible for our students. Sincerely, Robert Stephens III & Dwayne Stewart Founders
Welcome Ghana to
Akosombo The Akosombo Dam, also known as the Volta Dam, is a hydroelectric dam on the Volta River in southeastern Ghana in the Akosombo gorge and part of the Volta River Authority.
Cape Coast Cape Coast Castle is one of about forty “slave castles,� or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa by European traders.
Kakum National Park
Kakum National Park is 145 square miles of protected rainforest on the coast of southern Ghana. It is home to many endangered species and its Canopy Walk suspended 30 meters above the ground.
Local Market Students experienced a street market and prepared for a dinner with locals.
School Tours
Students met with the campus president of Academic City College for a tour of its future state-of-theart campus. Students then visited the University of Ghana, the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian public universities.
Shai Hills Resource Reserve Shai Hills was home to the Shai people until 1873 when the British colonial army expelled them. It is now a wildlife reserve, home to olive baboons and other primates. Many of the animals were sighted on the highway to Lake Volta during the visit.
Slave River
Students walked the ancestral path where captives were encamped for their last bath with African water in a river known as Donko Nsuo (Slave River).
The Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park Students experienced Independence Square to learn about the history of the Gold Coast, the AfroAmerican, Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the foundation of Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah became the first prime minister and president of Ghana in 1957 until 1966. Ghana (formerly known as The Gold Coast) gained its independence and became a republic in 1960. Nkrumah was a founder of the Convention People’s Party.
The Village Project Students supported the building of a school in the village, got an introduction to local cuisine, received an official welcome by the elders of the village with traditional greetings, watched a cultural performance by the village children, and visited the cocoa farm which is the main source of income of the village population.
W.E.B Dubois House and Mausoleum The former home and final resting place of American-born socialist, author, and civil rights activist, William Edward Burghardt DuBois, who became a citizen of Ghana in his later years. Dubois campaigned for African-American rights and was often referred to as the Father of Pan-Africanism.
Jamestown Visit
Jamestown originated as a community that emerged around the 17th-century British James Fort, merging with Accra as the city grew. These days, Jamestown is one the poorer neighbourhoods of Accra – full of beautifully dishevelled colonial buildings, clapboard houses and, corrugated iron shacks – but it remains vibrant.
Vote of Thanks! The I AM AFRICA Experience was made possible by the vision of our founders and the support of our partners. Change Makers Academy would like to thank you for partnering with us to make this a life-changing experience for our students. Because of you, Change Starts Here!