Akuraase Nonprofit
The World is our Village
o Akuraase is a nonprofit that serves as an incubator to help women in Ghana accomplish their dreams.
o “Give a woman a fish, she eats for a day; teach her to fish, she eats for a lifetime,” is the basic premise of providing incubation services.
o Since 2016, Akuraase has served women and their families is Eastern Ghana, with a focus on sustainability, educating the children through trauma-informed methods, and providing support to nonprofits in the region.
o Akuraase comprises retired professionals who care about the world and believe that helping change people’s lives can cause “ripples” that can lead to big changes in the world.
Our Process
At Akuraase, we believe in empowerment through partnership. Our process is built on the foundational principle: “Give a woman a fish, she eats for a day; teach her to fish, she eats for a lifetime.” This is the core of our incubator model, designed to turn dreams into sustainable realities.
Our approach is collaborative and personalized:
Listening & Ideation
We begin by meeting with Ghanaian women who have ideas about how to improve their lives and their communities. We provide a supportive space to help them fully flesh out these ideas.
Strategic Planning
Together, we develop concrete strategies to make their vision a reality. This involves a thorough assessment of what is needed and a step-by-step plan of how to meet those needs.
Capacity Building
We don't just provide funds; we build skills. We develop tailored training, identify key resources, and create funding strategies to ensure long-term success and independence.
Implementation & Support
As projects launch, Akuraase remains a dedicated partner, providing the support and advisory leadership needed to navigate challenges and achieve lasting impact.
Since 2016, Akurasse members have been involved with Asaasiam Vision International (AVI) and Eastern Ghana in a variety of ways. This involvement has led to many changes. Many changes were intentional, and some through the “Ripple Effect”.
Akuraase supported and provided leadership to NGOs in Eastern Ghana. This was accomplished by three Akuraase members providing leadership roles on the (AVI) board. The Akurasse members were key in establishing policies and practices and in recruiting new board members. Akuraase now provides financial support for outside training for AVI staff.
Through the dedicated support of Akuraase members, Asaasiam Vision International (AVI) has grown into a dynamic and impactful organization, strengthened by a highly effective Board whose members serve from across the United States and around the world.
This extraordinary ripple effect has elevated AVI to recognition as one of Ghana’s top NGOs, while its founder, Joseph Asare, proudly represents Ghana on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and in other respected international organizations.
We equipped teachers with trauma-informed teaching practices that do more than improve instruction—they help heal lives. The training illuminated the lasting impact of adverse childhood experiences and empowered educators to transform their schools and classrooms into places of safety, understanding, and hope. It also courageously confronted the use of caning and corporal punishment, challenging these harmful practices as abusive and ineffective.
This life-changing training was delivered to teachers and administrators during in-person visits and continued afterward through Skype support to individual schools. To date, 500 teachers and administrators have received this training, extending its impact to countless children whose lives are being shaped by more compassionate and restorative learning environments.
Because of the trainings the school environment was reported to be much improved for both the students and the teachers. The students also show higher attendance and performance rates.
The practice of corporal punishment, “caning”, was outlawed in the regional school district.
Ripple effects is that the training is being requested in several schools, and Joseph is meeting with Ghanaian education officials about banning “caning” countrywide.
Akuraase’s support has opened doors of opportunity for countless children by providing schools with computers and essential supplies that strengthen learning and inspire hope. Akuraase also purchased an SUV for the AVI director, making it possible to transport students to school and travel from one school to another to listen carefully to each community’s needs and tailor services accordingly. Beyond transportation, this vehicle has become a lifeline—creating new opportunities to reach children who are not yet in school, connect them to education, and give them a chance at a brighter future.
As a result, a computer lab was established to teach vital computer skills, and villages received their very first computers—opening doors to knowledge, opportunity, and a more hopeful future. Children who were not in school were actively sought out, welcomed, and brought into the classroom so they could begin or continue their education.
The ripple effect of this work has been profound. AVI has become increasingly known and respected throughout the region, while the impact of reconnecting children to education continues to change lives in powerful ways. This mission is deeply personal: Joseph, the founder of Asaasiam Vision International, was once one of these lost children himself. Today, his story stands as a living testament to the life-changing power of compassion, opportunity, and education.
Let Girls Excel The low graduation rates for girls in this region were a heartbreaking call to action, prompting Akuraase to respond with urgency and compassion.
For far too many girls, period poverty is one of the painful reasons they are forced to leave school, interrupting their education and dimming their hopes for the future.
Let Girls Excel was created to confront this crisis head-on and to address the deep self-esteem challenges that grow out of a lack of support, hope, and direction.
Through educational and motivational groups, Let Girls Excel helps girls build confidence, discover their worth, and create a vision for their future. The program also provides essential menstrual supplies so girls can manage their periods with dignity and remain in school.
The program also uncovered another serious barrier: many girls lack a private and safe space to manage menstruation. To meet this urgent need, funds are being raised to build secure restrooms that will protect girls’ health, dignity, and ability to continue their education.
Akuraase has provided—and continues to provide—strategic guidance and financial support that are helping this life-changing work grow and reach more girls in need.
Let Girls Excel has helped over 200 girls by offering guided exercises to help them create their own success visions. In addition, Let Girls Excel provides menstruation information and materials that remove a barrier for teenage girls in continuing their education.
The “ripple effect” is that this program is getting international recognition. The founder, Theresah Somuah, is one of three women in all of Africa to be a finalist for the Deloitte Africa CEO Impact Award. This award celebrates exceptional individuals who show up and make meaningful contributions where it matters most, without seeking personal recognition.
Provide celebrations
Because families face such limited resources and must struggle each day simply to survive, many children grow up with very little experience of joy and celebration. Akuraase helps make these meaningful moments possible through financial support and virtual participation, showing children they are seen, valued, and truly worth celebrating.
As a result, the children feel deeply special and filled with excitement for the day. Being honored in this way can leave a lasting mark on their lives, strengthening their sense of worth, joy, and hope for the future.
The Women’s Palm Oil Project is a compelling example of how donor support through Akuraase creates lasting, measurable change for women, families, and entire communities.
In 2022, women from a local village approached Joseph Asare of AVI with a vision for a palm oil extraction project that could generate income for women and their families using sustainable, locally available resources. Because the model could serve multiple villages, it offered donors an opportunity to invest in a solution with the potential for broad and lasting regional impact.
When Joseph brought the opportunity to Akuraase, the organization responded with careful stewardship. Akuraase conducted both a feasibility assessment and a cost-benefit analysis before the board approved the project, confirming that it aligned with the organization’s mission and represented a sound investment in women’s economic empowerment and family stability.
A budget and implementation plan were developed to bring the project online as efficiently as possible. The total project cost was $58,000, supplemented by an additional $10,000 in donated labor and goods. Akuraase funded $40,000 of the project, while AVI supporters helped close the remaining gap. With this support in place, AVI coordinated implementation in consultation with Akuraase members, turning donor contributions into a functioning income-generating initiative.
After the project launched, one major barrier threatened its profitability: transporting the finished palm oil to market consumed 30% of the earnings. To protect the women’s income and preserve the long-term return on donor investment, Akuraase purchased a used pickup truck and shipped it to Ghana at an additional cost of $20,000. This strategic follow-up investment reduced a critical burden on the project and strengthened its long-term sustainability for the women and families it serves.
The results have been especially compelling for donors. The project set an initial goal of involving 200 families in production, with additional families expected to join as operations become more stable. In its first year, the project generated more than $214,000 in earnings. On average, each family received $1,784—an amount that approaches the region’s average annual income of just over $2,000. With improved efficiency and investment in machinery that can make fuller use of the palm plant, profits are projected to increase by an additional 30%.
A powerful ripple effect of this investment is the growth of women’s leadership and participation in decision-making. The women are not simply beneficiaries of the project—they are decision-makers shaping its future. One important example is their decision to invest in new machinery, a step expected to increase profits by 30% through fuller use of the palm plant and greater efficiency.
Another important ripple effect is the growing credibility of Asaasiam Vision International and Joseph Asare. Their leadership was recognized with the Outstanding Inclusive Empowerment Award from the Business Executive Group of Ghana. As a result of this success, AVI is now drawing interest from several foundations that may partner with them to help other communities develop sustainable, income-generating projects.
This project will serve as a strong model for future Akuraase programs while also providing a sustainable funding base for continued growth. A portion of the profits will be reinvested to expand this project and help support new initiatives in other villages, allowing donor support to create impact that continues to multiply over time.
Potential Projects
Our support is centered on projects that:
Strengthen Administrative Structures
We provide crucial support to Ghanaian nonprofits as they develop the administrative foundation needed for stable, long-term operation.
Akuraase serves as an incubator for initiatives that empower Ghanaian women and strengthen their communities. We provide funding and support services for a range of projects, focusing on building self-sufficiency from the ground up.
Incubate Community-Led Ideas
We offer incubator services and strategic planning to community organizations, helping them design and implement projects that directly address local needs.
Develop Sustainable Resources
We work with our partners to develop the resources—financial, educational, and material—that will assist in the growth and success of their organizations.
Advocate for Self-Sufficiency
We champion projects that pave the way for Ghanaian women and families to become economically independent and secure.
Balance current needs with future hope
We provide a balance between providing economic change and providing hope for the future by including educational and social supports with each business project
Here are the projects that Akuraase is considering focusing on in the coming year.
If you have thoughts, ideas or interest in helping, please contact us!
Continued Support for Asaasiam Vision International
Akuraase is committed to strengthening Ghanaian NGOs through sustainable partnerships that build vibrant, effective leadership and long-term community impact. By working alongside trusted local organizations such as Asaasiam Vision International, Akuraase helps ensure that support is not only immediate, but also strategic, empowering, and built to last.
One important focus of this continued support is Let Girls Excel, a program that addresses the urgent challenges of period poverty and the barriers it creates for girls’ education, dignity, and future opportunities. Akuraase will continue to invest in the development and fundraising efforts needed to expand this work, helping more girls stay in school, build confidence, and pursue the futures they deserve.
Funding Priorities
Akuraase’s funding priorities reflect a commitment to strengthening Asaasiam Vision International through strategic partnership, leadership development, and targeted programs that create lasting impact for children, families, and communities in Ghana. The following areas represent key opportunities for donor investment:
- By providing strategic advisory support to the AVI director.
- By continuing to invest in staff development and organizational capacity.
- By supporting community celebrations that bring joy, dignity, and connection to youth and families.
- By strengthening Let Girls Excel so it can better serve the girls of Ghana with the support, dignity, and opportunity they deserve.
Goat Farming
Akuraase is responding to a request from a group of Ghanaian women in Hwidiem—subsistence farmers whose families have long depended on crop cultivation for survival. Today, climate change, irregular rainfall, environmental degradation, and illegal mining have severely reduced crop yields, leaving many households under intense financial strain. In this hardship, women are carrying much of the responsibility for providing for their homes and families. Building resilience for women smallholder farmers in Ghana is increasingly recognized as essential to climate adaptation and community stability.
The effort is being led by 10 women leaders who represent more than 200 vulnerable women and subsistence farmers. They are seeking support to establish a sustainable goat farm that can create reliable income, strengthen food security, and reduce dependence on increasingly uncertain harvests.
A community goat ranch offers a practical and climate-resilient pathway to economic stability. With donor support, the women aim to:
- Receive modern training in improved goat rearing, breeding, and animal health management so the project can succeed over the long term.
- Establish a community goat breeding center to improve livestock quality, strengthen herd health, and ensure a steady supply of animals for growth and resale.
- Use proceeds from goat sales to expand the project and extend its benefits to additional women, multiplying the impact of the initial investment.
This project aligns strongly with Akuraase’s mission because it is community-led, practical, and designed for long-term sustainability. Goats are widely recognized as a resilient asset for smallholder farmers and can be especially effective in strengthening women’s incomes, household stability, and climate resilience when paired with good breeding, feeding, and health practices. With the right support, this initiative can provide a stable and growing source of income for these courageous women and the many families they represent.
We contracted the African Youth Employment Initiative to develop a comprehensive business plan, including a cost-benefit analysis and a step-by-step implementation plan.
Next, we will divide the plan into phases and draft funding proposals. Our fundraising will also use the “Greater Giving” project.
To support this project, please use this Greater Giving link: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/women-in-goat-ranch-for-a-sustainable-livelihood/
Support and carry on the vision of Akuraase as created by Father Stephen.
Recruit additional supporter who have a worldview and see that to make the world a better place, the poorest of people need a chance to thrive and support themselves. People who believe that the “ripple theory” is real and that making small concrete changes can bring worldwide change.
Steps taken:
We have developed this website to show what four people can do and, with the help of other World Vision people, much more can happen to make the world a better place for all.
Who Is Involved
The story of Akuraase is a story of connection, inspiration, and shared purpose.
Our Inspiration
Our journey began in 2016 when Joseph Asare, the founder of Asaasiam Vision International (AVI), came to Portland, Oregon. He was an international intern with a powerful mission: to better educate girls in his region of Ghana. Joseph’s life story is a testament to his charisma and unlimited potential. Orphaned at age 10, he was found by a Ghanaian Catholic priest, Father Stephens, who mentored and supported him through his Ph.D. in business. With complete clarity, Joseph understands his life’s mission is to pay it forward and help his people. He came to Portland asking for help, and the people who would later form Akuraase were moved to answer his call.
Our Foundation
Following Joseph’s visit, one of our founding members traveled to Ghana to train teachers on the effects of child abuse on students. What they learned is that when you visit Africa, your life is changed forever. The experience of seeing Joseph’s work firsthand and understanding the immense potential of the Ghanaian people solidified our mission. It was out of these experiences that Akuraase was born.
Our Team
Today, the Akuraase board is composed of dedicated professionals, including three retired social service administrators, a retired accountant, and a retired educator. We all believe that the wonderful women in Ghana deserve support and a hand up. We can’t do everything, but we are passionate believers in the “Ripple Theory”—the idea that small, focused changes can ripple outward to create something much bigger.
Donald P Didier M.S.W Board President
Board President
Retired social worker, agency administrator and therapist, with a focus on the treatment of victims of trauma.
He has a passion for the people of Ghana after visiting them nine years ago
James Peterson, M.S.W Board Vice President
Jim’s career was in mental health and public health. He developed and managed. systems of care targeting communities in need with an emphasis on culturally specific and best practice serves for women, youth, and families. He worked with the Latino, African American, and Native American communities to establish and maintain culturally specific services targeting these populations. Jim has had a long time both professional and friendship relationship with Don Didier. It was through this relationship that he was introduced to the palm oil project and helped provide start-up funds for the project which became operational this year.
Tom Mitchell Doctor of Education Secratary of the board
30 years’ experience as Executive Director of an organization that provided housing and vocational services for women with children, homeless youth, and youth involved with the child welfare system. Responsible for strategic planning, community relations, quality assurance and fiscal management systems. Current Involvement includes membership in the Rotary Club of Clackamas, various community projects and continuing education.
Larry Byers, C.P.A, Masters in Business Board Treasure
After years of operating his own CPA firm, Larry has turned his passion to travel. He has been involved in several Habitat for Humanity projects, including one in Ghana. He truly understands that the world is his village.
Michelle Afroso
Girls Program Board Representative
Michelle has strong ties to Ghana through her immediate family and has seen firsthand how important it is for girls to receive an education. She is committed to advancing literacy and helping to eliminate "period poverty" for girls in rural Ghana. Currently serving as a Chief Human Resources Officer for a local company that champions literacy. As Michelle Obama wisely said, "When women are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous."
Wren Sylfae
Strategic Volunteer
Name
Description
Testimonials
As our incubator projects grow and flourish, we look forward to sharing the powerful stories of the women and organizations we partner with. Please check back for updates on their incredible journeys.
How you can be involved!
If Akuraase Interests You, How Can You Help?
Nelson Mandela once said, “Living isn’t just about doing for yourself, but what you do for others.”
- Learn about Ghana and its people—and then help spread the word.
- Consider visiting Africa.
Go to Ghana, and your life may be changed forever. - Support project incubation, strategy, and resource development.
Our current project, the goat ranch, needs both personal and financial support. Please contact Don Didier or help fund the project through GlobalGiving:
https://www.globalgiving.org/search/?size=25&nextPage=1&sortField=sortorder&keywords=asaasisam%20vision%20international&selectedLocations=00ghana&loadAllResults=true - Serve on nonprofit board leadership.
If board service interests you, several African nonprofit organizations need dedicated board members. Asaasiam Vision International, Africa Speaks, and Akuraase would all welcome strong leadership and support - Sponsor a project—individually or collaboratively.
Your sponsorship of either the Asaasiam Vision International Christmas Celebration or Let Girls Excel would be greatly appreciated. A gift of $500 to $2,000 can make a meaningful difference.
— Nelson Mandela
For questions or to express interest, please contact Don Didier at [email protected]
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Keep in Touch!
We believe that connection is at the heart of change. Whether you have a question, want to explore a partnership, or simply wish to learn more about our work, we would love to hear from you.
For all inquiries, please contact our board president
Don Didier Akuraase Board President
2617 NE 9th, Portland,
Oregon 97212
