The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

September 21 is NVDay! National Volunteer Day (NVDay) is an initiative of GhanaThink Foundation ’s Ghana Volunteer Program , which seeks to encourage volunteerism in Ghana, on or around every September 21st (Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day). It is a  holiday! For additional guidance, see past #NVDay activities via #NVDay on social media. Our hashtag is  #NVDay21 . Many of this year's activities have been listed on our  Facebook event , join and share with your friends to spread the word! Here are some activities you can participate in or inspire you to do something in your own corner.  More are loading - stay tuned to the hashtags for more! Blood donation drives via the National Blood Service The Korle Bu Blood Bank & Southern Zonal Blood Centre at Korle Bu are taking blood donations all week! Whatsapp the National Blood Service Ghana at 0277501010 to find a location nearer to you! Learn more via this link Reading Clinic in Buduburam on September 19 Conta...

Yesterday, we heard news that Bill Gates was coming to Ghana today. He had announced it on his blog:  The Gates Notes  and was oohing and aahin over how Ghana has handled immunization. The Bill Gates of Microsoft. No, the Bill Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Still one of the richest men in the solar system though. He tweeted ... In Ghana to learn more about the amazing progress this country has made: b-gat.es/ZPSI1b — Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 25, 2013 Bill Gates was coming in without much media fanfare, unlike his fellow American Chris Brown did just before Ghana's 56th birthday. Chris Brown's face was all over billboards, Bill Gates' name was reduced to a number of tweets. Chris Brown was in town to give hope to Hope City and make the evenings of many Ghanaian women. Bill Gates was in town to check on the progress of Ghana's health care system and remain anonymous. Because the best way to really assess how well something is running is...

As part of running the 10 kilometre race last Friday, my group was also fundraising for Run4Edcuation. Together, we raised over a $1000. Shout out to Fanuel Muindi and Shantal Marshall (two Stanford students) for this great initiative. Fanuel's quite the runner, having run the San Francisco marathon amongst many other races. His goal is to run the Boston Marathon. Fanuel got interested a couple of years ago and decided to run for a cause. This idea gave birth to the Run4Education group and he's been running to raise money to support students in East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy. Apparently, 75% of East Palo Alto kids won't graduate from high school. Ghana and Africa, listen, nowhere cool . Small contributions can go very far, even in the expensive United States, to make children stay in school. Here is some info about Run4Education Run4Education is a group dedicated to filling the gaps in education so that every student gets the chance to reach his or her potential,...

Earlier this summer, a Tanzanian friend asked me to join him in running a local race. It was going to be the 10 kilometre (6 mile) race as part of the 26th Annual Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run & Walk . I was hesitant about participating in the 10K race. I never went running on my own or with colleagues. Eventually, I figured I would participate in the race just so I could finally say I'd run one and it was also for a good cause, I'd be supporting run4education . I finished the September 24 race in just over an hour. Thank you to everyone who donated, supported, prayed and urged me. #VIM! It was thrilling, tiring, fantastic and fun. It didn't happen without juicy events and stories though so here goes the narration :-) I have never taken to running as a pastime because I knew I didn't have good stamina. I never bothered to do so. I almost didn't take part in the 10K race . You could say peer pressure 'barbed' me and spurred me to sign on. I nestled t...

Here's another one. Just like the other one. I had approached Ronke about doing a similar "Smiles for Christmas (SFC) event in Kumasi. She loved the idea and wanted to support. I couldn't get my act together early enough to get her to publicize it through SFC but the event came off eventually. In the New Year of 2010. Together with some friends, we were able to present some provisions and cash to the King Jesus Charity in Boadi, Kumasi. Smiles for New Year was born in Kumasi to join its sister in Accra called SFC. You see, folks, it's not very difficult. You could also start one in Little London Obo Kwahu, Tuabodom or Tain. I sought support from Facebook friends who lived in Kumasi to help carry this out. Some people responded and we had a core to work with. It took a while to choose an orphanage or charity and Sandra Agyapong came up with King Jesus Charity. We skirted around the subject (ever since I saw this expression, I've always loved to use it) for days and ...