Atisin! It mean hello, which I love to say when I now meet any Ghanan-many respond with a suprise smile! I learned this after living with 2 Ghanans from UMM after graduating in 1999. As of today (9/7/03), I still keep in touch with them as both of them proudly graduated this Spring! In fact, I just got off the phone from one of them, who was wondering how the international students doing.
I've been exposed to the Ghanan culture more than any other African nation due to living with 2 of them...
..... for almost 2 years (1999-2001). I tasted variety of foods and learned not to mix with certain American dishes (eg. corn and a Ghanan spicey dish-name?)-learned it the hard way-he! he!
Paul Brifo "enjoying" the Minnesota winter!
Paul Brifo, proudly poses after UMM's 2003 Graduation. Currently in Euless, Texas (finding a church?)
Kofi Anan
"
On December 13, 1996, Annan was selected by the UN Security Council to be Secretary-General and was confirmed four days later by the General Assembly. Annan took the oath of office without delay, starting his first term as Secretary-General on January 1, 1997. Annan replaced outgoing Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt, becoming the first person from a black African nation to become Secretary-General."
-Wikipedia
Related Articles Kofi Annan visits Minnesota alma mater
""We all have the power to make choices - we can choose to be silent and turn away or we can step forward and take action," he said. "However you choose to carry out your mission as global citizens, I know you will keep demonstrating ... the fallacy of the perception ... of an insular America with no interest or understanding in the world beyond these shores."
Annan, who studied economics at the school, returned for the inauguration of the college's Institute for Global Citizenship. 10:00 AM U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan Inaugural Speaker for Institute for Global Citizenship "Macalester Fieldhouse
Kofi Annan '61 will speak at Macalester this Saturday in celebration of Macalester's new Institute for Global Citizenship. He is the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations and was the co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. At Macalester, Secretary-General Annan was a member of the soccer team and a star on the track team, winning the 60-yard MIAC track conference championship. He was also a member of the debate team and a state champion orator. Last month, he was named one of the 100 "Most Influential Student Athletes in the last 100 years" by the NCAA. Tickets or student ID required for admission.
Sponsored by: Institute for Global Citizenship UN Secretary Kofi Anan, from aljazeera
"UMM alumnus Paul Brifo leads a foundation that collects, refurbishes and delivers clothing to African countries. Below, the foundation recently send a shipment of clothing to the Word Of Faith Outreach Center ( WOFOC ) in Ahodwo, Kumasi.
The community of Morris has often been a nurturing environment and launching pad for many innovative people over the years: entrepreneurs, artists, educators, people with political aspiration. Many who have lived within these borders, whether as students passing through or long term citizens, have gone on to accomplish noteworthy feats.
Still, while their individual achievements are exciting to hear about and often encourage others to chase after their own dreams, perhaps the most noteworthy of such people are those who saw a future far greater than their own personal goals and ambitions and have used their success to create avenues of blessing and assistance to others who need it most.
Paul Brifo, an alumni of the University of Minnesota, Morris is just such a person. In the late 1990’s, Brifo determined that he would leave his home in Ghana, pursue an education in the United States, build a successful future for himself and his family, and then give back to the people of his home in Africa.
Brifo chose Morris as the doorway to that dream and came to UMM as an international student.
“I had six cousins and one brother who all went to school in Morris,” said Brifo. “My brother recommended UMM and said it was a good school with hard working students.”
Brifo was 37 years old and married with one son when he arrived in 1999. Leaving his family and coming to Morris was not easy and Brifo faced numerous challenges while here. But, he credits the difficulties he experienced and the support he received in Morris with helping to develop his character to accomplish what he needed to accomplish.
In 2001, Brifo lost his uncle, who had promised financial assistance to help with his education. But, as one source dried up, local sources flourished.
“With the help of Tom McRoberts, who I was living with at the time,” said Brifo, “I applied for financial aid. I also had help from my friends in Morris and my church. People would put money in an envelope and give it to me. These are the things I remember.”
After graduating from UMM in 2003, Brifo obtained a job with Citigroup in the finance and accounting division and relocated to Arlington, Texas. Very quickly, he began giving back. In 2004, Brifo began collecting clothing from generous people and organizations around the state of Texas and shipped them to orphanages in rural Ghana. He has spent the better part of three years organizing, financing, and administrating this work entirely from his own funds and spare time.
In early 2007, he established “The Paul Brifo Foundation” to continue this work and expand its reach.
“I started this foundation as a result of my desire to alleviate poverty, disease and suffering in Africa,” said Brifo. “Donated clothes to Ghana are a big financial relief to the beneficiaries because of the high cost of living. Basic necessities of life like food, shelter and clothing are expensive.”
The Brifo Foundation now collects unwanted clothing items from the people living in the U.S., launders and reconditions the items, and presents them to infants, young adults, and adults in rural Africa who are in need of clothing but cannot afford to acquire them.
“People in Africa are so appreciative to receive the clothing that we take for granted here in America,” said Brifo. “Something as simple as clothing is so readily available here. I often receive donations that still have tags on them.”
Over the past three years approximately 1,200 people have benefited from Brifo’s program. Currently the foundation supplies clothing primarily to orphanages and churches. Eventually, they will reach out to schools for the blind and disabled.
In 2004, Brifo shipped 200 articles of clothing to Africa. In 2006, the number quadrupled. In April of 2007 alone, Brifo shipped more than 800 items of clothing to rural Ghana.
But, for Brifo, this is just the beginning of the vision and work he has planned for the future. Brifo intends to expand his network of contacts in the coming years and intends to reach out to other nations.
He recently made a new contact in Kenya and is making plans for distribution. He is also looking toward neighboring Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is located in the western part of Africa. It is bordered to the east by Niger, to the north and west by Mali, and to the south by Cote D’voire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin.
Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
Since the clothing items he provides are not to be sold to the residents, Brifo said getting a trusted team to work with will be quite challenging, and he does not select his contacts in this work casually.
“Used clothes in Africa can fetch lots of money,” said Brifo. “The clothes that I donate are free. Because of the high demand for used clothes in Africa, one may be tempted to sell them for cash. So I am very cautious of who I use as my contact person.”
Brifo is now actively in search of grants and other forms of support to help the work.
He plans to solicit more funds from corporate and non-corporate entities, write more letters to clothing manufacturers to donate factory rejects, and educate the residents of the United States about the economic plight of the African countries and the need for them to respond through their generous giving in kind and cash.”
For more information or to learn how to contribute, visit the foundation Web site at: www.paulbrifofoundation.org ." Alum establishes charitable foundation to assist the poor
Posted by Philip D. Drown II on Wednesday, Jun. 13, 2007 (UMM) "Paul Brifo, an alumni of the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM), is just such a person. In the late 1990’s, Brifo determined that he would leave his home in Ghana, pursue an education in the United States, build a successful future for himself and his family, and then give back to the people of his home in Africa.
Brifo chose Morris as the doorway to that dream and came to UMM as an International student.
“I had six cousins and one brother who all went to school in Morris,” said Brifo. “My brother recommended UMM and said it was a good school with hard working students.”
{Announcement}
Former UMM Alumns Prince and Patience both got married on August 12th 2006...{Poeima Creations)}
" A biography of sports legend, Muhammad Ali, from his early days to his days in the ring...
GLOBAL
Children
Belinda Sings
"Belinda, a 15 year old girl we met during our 2003 trip to Ghana, West Africa, teaches us the song "Alpha and Omega" in her language. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? For more information visit jamescroft.org and click "Do You Know?" For more information about this ministry visit these sites: Ministry Site: www.jamescroft.org"
"Local religions also endure in Ghana, and are often practiced syncreticaly with the mainstream religions. The country's main holiday, Akwasidee, comes from the Ashanti religious calendar, and features an ornate ceremony involving the Ashanti king, known as the Asantehene."
"Premier Kwame Nkrumah attempted to take leadership of the Pan-African Movement, holding the All-African People's Congress in his capital, Accra, in 1958 and organizing the Union of African States with Guinea and Mali in 1961. But he oriented his country toward the Soviet Union and China and built an autocratic rule over all aspects of Ghanaian life. In Feb. 1966, while Nkrumah was visiting Beijing and Hanoi, he was deposed by a military coup led by Gen. Emmanuel K. Kotoka."
"It was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient kingdoms, including the Ga Adangbes on the eastern coast, inland Empire of Ashanti and various Fante states along the coast and inland. Trade with European states flourished after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century, and the British established a crown colony, Gold Coast, in 1874.[4]
Upon achieving independence from the United Kingdom in 1957,[5] the name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana that once extended throughout much of western Africa."
"In Ghana, as Surgons on Mercy Ships perform life saving surgeries, volunteers travel into the city to help with other needs besides those that are medical in nature. This includes the establishing of a new Youth Center."
"JESUS IS MINE track # 14 of 15 from thier newly released album "worship of the saints". filled with praise and worship songs in deferent rhythms and styles churches across America are singing some of these songs in their services if you love coporate praise and worship then this is the cd you need. visit WWW.HOLYWOODMUSIC.COM to get the CD/DVD and you will love it ."
Amazing Grace from Alabaster Box
"Watch the joy in the faces of these four men as they delight with their 'Afropella' style of singing. They have coined the name Afropella, meaning 'acappella' made in Africa."
"
carride trough red clay Accra town doun the roa...
carride trough red clay Accra town doun the road to the beach, see the people going by, the landscape of Ghana capital
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