Welcome address by Esi Yankah, Founder and president of Africa Mentor Network at the official launch of AMN at African Regent Hotel, Accra. Aug 12, 09

Welcome address by Esi Yankah, Founder and president of Africa Mentor Network at the official launch of AMN at African Regent Hotel, Accra. Aug 12, 2009.

 

Distinguished Chief Executives, fellow African youth from Accra and beyond, ladies and gentlemen.

 

I have a question for you, did it really have to take President Barrack Obama to come to Ghana to tell us to rise up and take responsibility of our own continent?  In his own words

 

“ The future of Africa is in the hands of Africans” and I quote again

 

“Only this time, we have learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future… Above all, it will be the young people — brimming with talent and energy and hope — who can claim the future that so many in my father's generation never found."

 

I stand here this morning, not only as The President and Founder of The Africa Mentor Network, but as a citizen and youth speaking on behalf of the younger generation of Ghana and Africa as a whole who are yearning for change, young people who need inspiration and motivation, young people who are counting on you and looking up to you the older generation to lead by example and help and guide us towards the right path. We are tired of all the bickering and backbiting going on in the society today, we just want a bright future and that’s all we are asking for. A future where “Impossible is nothing”, a future where we can face any obstacle that comes our way because you taught us which way to go.

 

We want to be successful just like you, and we also know that you can only find true happiness in success when you help others less privileged than yourself to get to where you are and even overtake them.

 

President Obama said "While the future is unknowable, the winds always blow in the direction of human progress".

 

As our future has not been defined, we the youth of Ghana and Africa as a whole are claiming our future and we are holding you, the older generation of Africans responsible. We are holding hands today as one people from different ethnic backgrounds in support of The Africa Mentor Network; we are ready to give back to our communities and help in whichever way we can to ensure that our future is safe and secure for ourselves, our children and their descendants.

Africa has the resources needed to help motivate and inspire the younger generation to create an awareness for themselves and help us realize our full potentials and advance in our social, educational and economic opportunities.

 

The future shouldn’t only look bright for the elite in the society, but for the poor, the handicapped, the orphan, the child in the Northern, Eastern, Western, Central, Greater Accra, Volta, Upper East, Upper West, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Region who is looking for the right guidance, network and platform to exhibit their unique talents and  take advantage of opportunities. Everyone deserves a chance!

 

To my fellow youth, please do not put any limitations on your life, don’t be afraid to dream, there are so many opportunities in this world, lets explore them. Don’t settle for less! Let’s stop complaining about why things are not the way they should be, but rather get up and fix them! I listened to the interview of The Mad doctor, Dr. David Abdullai on KSM’s show and I was deeply moved. If the son of a cripple and a beggar can rise above all odds and obstacles and become very successful, then seriously, what excuse do we have! The older generation is ready to help us, but we need to help ourselves first. If they see that we are working hard, determined and aggressive about our future, they will pull us up. Let’s open our arms wide to help people whether they are of a different social class, ethnic group or race. We are all one people and everyone needs someone.

 

 

Let’s not only seek opportunities outside Africa but explore the ones right here in our communities. If we find better opportunities outside our continent let’s always remember to come back and give back to our communities. Let us hold hands together. Africa needs us!

 

The traditional Adinkra symbol “Boa me na me mmoa wo, means: “Help me and let me help you” which is a symbol of interdependence and cooperation. There is a native African saying which goes :

"Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand."

 

Dear older generation, We are helping ourselves by reaching out to you, now we need your help.

 

I am very grateful to the Almighty God, my source of knowledge of inspiration, my family, my mentor, my board members, my friends and strangers who believed in this vision when it was just an idea and helped to make it possible.

 

I officially welcome you now to the launching of The Africa Mentor Network. My team and I are deeply honored to have you here with us today.

Akwaaba and enjoy the event.

Thank you !

 

 

 

 

 

APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE NOW!!!!!!THE SPEED NETWORKING ROUNDTABLE: OUR OFFICIAL LAUNCHING EVENT

Click the link below to access applications

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGVvYTJONzVjZnRaMUVMTUdaRHpqM3c6MA..

APPLICATIONS FOR SPEED NETWORKING ROUNDTABLE WILL BE POSTED ON JULY 15TH

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your keen interest in the Africa Mentor Network and all your encouraging emails. We have receieved numerous emails about people who want to attend the Launching event which is also  "The Speed Networking Roundtable", our signature event bringing together corporate executives and the African youth. 

How do i apply? 

Information on how to apply for this event will be posted on the website by Wednesday July 15th, 2009. There will be a limited number of applicants who will be selected so one will have to prove that they deserve this chance. 

When is the EVENT?

The event will be held on August 12th 

Questions?

Send all questions and comments directly to esiyankah@africamentor.org

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA at cape coast castle, GHANA , JULY 11TH 2009

3:57 P.M. GMT


THE PRESIDENT: Michelle, the children, as well as other members of my family, just got an extraordinary tour of this castle. It is reminiscent of the trip I took to Buchenwald because it reminds us of the capacity of human beings to commit great evil. One of the most striking things that I heard was that right above the dungeons in which male captives were kept was a church, and that reminds us that sometimes we can tolerate and stand by great evil even as we think that we're doing good.


You know, I think it was particularly important for Malia and Sasha, who are growing up in such a blessed way, to be reminded that history can take very cruel turns, and hopefully one of the things that was imparted to them during this trip is their sense of obligation to fight oppression and cruelty wherever it appears, and that any group of people who are degrading another group of people have to be fought against with whatever tools we have available to us.


So obviously it's a moving experience, a moving moment. We want to thank those who arranged for the tour and the people of Ghana for preserving this history. As painful as it is, I think that it helps to teach all of us that we have to do what we can to fight against the kinds of evils that, sadly, still exist in our world, not just on this continent but in every corner of the globe.


And I think, as Americans, and as African Americans, obviously there's a special sense that on the one hand this place was a place of profound sadness; on the other hand, it is here where the journey of much of the African American experience began. And symbolically, to be able to come back with my family, with Michelle and our children, and see the portal through which the diaspora began, but also to be able to come back here in celebration with the people of Ghana of the extraordinary progress that we've made because of the courage of so many, black and white, to abolish slavery and ultimately win civil rights for all people, I think is a source of hope. It reminds us that as bad as history can be, it's also possible to overcome.


Thanks, everybody.



END 4:00 P.M. GMT

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT MILLS OF GHANA AT DEPARTURE CEREMONY, GHANA

July 11, 2009


REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
AND PRESIDENT MILLS OF GHANA
AT DEPARTURE CEREMONY

Kotoka International Airport
Accra, Ghana

6:24 P.M. GMT

PRESIDENT MILLS: Fellow Ghanaians -- fellow Ghanaians, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, far too soon, our august visitor is scheduled to be leaving us. But I would want on your behalf to thank him, his wife, his children, and his entire delegation for the honor that they have done us by choosing us as the first country to visit in sub-Saharan Africa. (Applause.)

We thank him for the message that he delivered to us. He wants to have a close partnership with us. He wants us to uphold democracy. He wants us to go down the trail which has been blazed for us. And he wants us to take our destiny into our own hands. And there is hope, because hope is a very powerful weapon. The Good Lord has blessed us with abundant gifts, and we know that this visit is going to open so many doors to us. (Applause.)

President Obama, there's not a single Ghanaian who is not excited by your visit. And a lot of Ghanaians began praying for you the moment they heard that you were coming to visit us. The Good Lord has heard our prayers and you have come. And I think that, by all standards, we can all say this has been a very successful visit. I would therefore, my brother and sisters, like on your behalf to say me dawase, me dawase. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) Nyame, Nyame -- Nyame fa me koe. May God safely guide you. Thank you, President. (Applause.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Hello, Ghana. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. I want to thank the people of Ghana for this extraordinary visit. Michelle and I have been greatly honored to be joined by President Mills and his lovely wife. They have been gracious hosts.


You know, your President and I have a lot in common. We're both lawyers, we're both former law professors, we're both new presidents. (Applause.) We both like to think of ourselves as athletes. The difference is President Mills played hockey on the national team of Ghana, and I played basketball mostly in my backyard. (Applause.)

But we both love sports. We're both proud of serving our country. And today I want to honor President Mills for his strong and thoughtful leadership, his devotion to democracy, and his commitment for the future of his nation. I also want to thank the magnificent welcoming committee, including the drummers and the dancers. Michelle and I and our daughters enjoyed it very much.

I want to recognize our Peace Corps volunteers who are here. (Applause.) You know, Ghana was the very first nation to host young people from the Peace Corps. And for decades, our two nations have formed vital partnerships and lasting friendships because of this program. So all of you in the Peace Corps, you are doing an outstanding job and we're proud of you. (Applause.)

As somebody whose father comes from Africa, obviously this visit has been particularly meaningful for me. I've had a chance to discuss the future of Ghana but also the future of Africa with President Mills. I've spoken to the parliament here in Ghana about America's commitment to supporting democracy and development. 

Michelle and I visited LA General Hospital, where we met with beautiful women and their children who are getting the care that they need for a healthy start. 

And finally, we toured Cape Coast Castle -- a place for centuries where men, women, and children of this nation and surrounding areas were sold into slavery. I'll never forget the image of my two young daughters, the descendants of Africans and African Americans, walking through those doors of no return, but then walking back those doors of return. It was a remarkable reminder that while the future is unknowable, the winds always blow in the direction of human progress.

At each point of our visit here, I was reminded of the enduring bond between our nations. Men and women taken from this nation helped to build my own. Today, many of our leading citizens trace their roots to these shores. Your first President attended a university in the United States, as did your current one. Great civil rights leaders of America, like Dr. Martin Luther King, looked to the independence movement here in Ghana and asked themselves, "If Africans can live freely in Africa, why can't African Americans live freely in America?"


And immigrants from Ghana and from all across Africa have thrived all across America. Today, both our nations are diverse and vibrant democracies. Here in Ghana, many different ethnic groups speak many languages, but have found a way to live and work together in peace. People here can speak freely and worship freely. You have a robust civil society, fair elections, and a free press, a growing market economy and a sense of energy and optimism. And every day with its success, Ghana sends a simple message to the world that democracy can thrive in Africa. (Applause.)

So we in America are proud of our partnership with Ghana. Together we've worked to advance education and fight poverty. We've made real and measurable strides in fighting diseases from malaria to tuberculosis to polio and neglected tropical diseases. This is a partnership we intend to continue. It's a partnership based not just on shared interests, but on shared ideals -- ideals forged in struggles for independence that have made our countries who they are.

We believe that democracy is not simply a gift from previous generations, but a responsibility for each generation to preserve and to pass on. We believe that no one, whether it's through the influence of politics, the power of money, or the fear of force is above the law. And we believe that we're all equal, all endowed with basic human dignity, all entitled to basic human rights.

It is up to each of us, every one of us, to uphold those ideals. This is true not just in Ghana but for all of Africa. America wants to partner with the people and nations of Africa, but we all know that the future of Africa is in the hands of Africa. 

So I especially want to, again, speak to the young people of Africa. In places like Ghana you make up more than half the population, and here is what you must know: that the world is what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in communities like these Peace Corps workers -- (applause) -- and harness your energy and education to renew and build connections between the world. You can conquer disease and end conflict and make change from the bottom up. You can do all that. 

And I promise you this: If you seize this opportunity, if you take responsibility for your future, America will be with you every step of the way as a partner and as a friend. (Applause.)


Freedom is your inheritance, hard won 52 years ago by men and women determined to cast off the title of subjects for the title of citizens, and claim for themselves and their children the liberties that are all of our birthrights. 

Dr. King came here to Ghana to witness the culmination of that struggle. He watched as the Union Jack was lowered and the Ghanaian flag was raised at the parliament. He marveled at the site of the Duchess of Kent dancing with the new Ghanaian President at the state ball. And in a sermon he gave upon returning home to America, he said of this new nation, "There is a great day ahead. The future is on its side." Those words ring just as true today as they did more than half a century ago.

Great days lie ahead for this nation. The future is on Ghana's side. I promise that America will be with you. (Applause.) And together we will create a better world. 

Thank you, Ghana. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END 6:35 P.M. GMT

THE SPEED NETWORKING ROUNDTABLE: OUR OFFICIAL LAUNCHING EVENT

If you haven’t heard, then you are pretty late! The Africa Mentor Network is here and it’s all about Africa Helping Africans. They are launching their organization with a big bang, something new, something unique, and something you would love to be part of. It’s all about the African youth and the corporate executives!

The signature “Speed Networking Roundtable” is the premiere-networking event in Ghana bringing together top executives of companies in Ghana with the African youth. This event also launches The Africa Mentor Network. Many African youth have very innovative ideas and exceptional resumes and are looking for that one opportunity to put their best foot forward. They are looking to pitch their big ideas as well as sell their exceptional resumes directly to corporate executives they would never get to meet on a regular day or possibly in their lifetime. These executives are also highly regarded and admired as role models to the youth and to the Ghanaian community. 

This event will give the youth participant a face-to-face chance to impress these executives and also network with them. This could open a great door of opportunity for them.  Participants could get hired instantly, win a second interview, have their ideas adopted and more importantly establish long-term relationships. Participants are only given 2.5 minutes per executive therefore careful preparation becomes critical.

The great thing about this event is that it is an equal opportunity event; once you carefully prepare and pitch your resume and ideas well you stand an equal chance as any other participants.  This event will introduce the art of networking into the Ghanaian community and create an environment where all corporate executives who may be competitors can come together for a common purpose.

The event is set for August 12^th at the African Regent Hotel, one of Ghana’s first class hotels and an authentically branded symbol of Africa. Corporate executives interested in being a part of this event should email esiyankah@africamentor.org. 

Applications will be put out middle of July on www.africamentor.org and public announcements will be made for Ghana’s youth participants to apply to be a part of this experience. A limited number of applicants will be selected. Participants of this event officially become members of The Africa Mentor Network and can participate in all their other Mentoring and Networking programs they will be implementing, and also enjoy all the benefits and opportunities that come with being a member. The organization is currently seeking sponsorships and donations for this event and for this organizations initiative. This organizations signature event will be held twice a year and will be held in other African countries. Any company or organization interested in helping to launch“ The Speed Networking Roundtable” event in their country should contact them through email.

The Africa Mentor Network is a 501C3 tax exempt not-for-profit Organization founded to serve all of Africa. This organization was made for Africa by Africans because Africans deserve to have their own voice too! It founded based on a simple idea of helping the African youth to help themselves through mentoring and networking. Everyone needs a mentor in his or her life. Africa has all the resources needed to help motivate and inspire the younger generation to create awareness for themselves and help them realize their full potentials and advance in their social, educational and economic opportunities.

 Esi Yankah is the President of this initiative, a Ghanaian citizen and a final year graduate student. Miss Yankah works with a wonderful team made up of Ugochukwu Nwosu, Bernice Karikari- Apau and Jacquelyn Knight Jackson. Visit their website www.africamentor.org today and join them on facebook! You don’t want to miss this event. Please direct all correspondence to esiyankah@africamentor.org.

AFRICAN YOUTH TAKEOVER - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Esi Yankah
Email: esiyankah@africamentor.org

THE AFRICAN YOUTH TAKEOVER!

The Africa Mentor Network Inc. is here and it’s all about “Africa helping Africans”!

“Africa Helping Africans” - The Africa Mentor Network Inc. is a 501C3 recognized tax exempt not-for-profit Organization has been set up to serves all of Africa. This organization was made for Africa by Africans – “We have a voice too!’ The Africa Mentor Network Inc. was founded based on a simple idea of helping the African youth to help themselves through mentoring and networking. Everyone needs a mentor in his or her life. Every young person at a point in time needs some guidance or help in their personal and career decisions. The future of the younger generation of Africans can be improved if the older generation takes the responsibility of helping and guiding them towards the right path. Africa has all the resources needed to help motivate and inspire the younger generation to create an awareness for themselves, and to help them realize their full potentials to advance in their social, educational and economic opportunities. The President of this wonderful initiative is Esi Yankah, a Ghanaian citizen and a final year graduate student.

“The Mission of the Africa Mentor Network Inc. (TAMN) is to trigger the "Can do" buzz in the lives of Africans by creating and connecting a grassroots’ network of positive role models, leaders and individuals who are passionate about Africa and its development to help shape the lives of the younger generation of Africans through a thorough, measurable, and effective long term mentoring program...It’s all about who you touch!”

“The Vision of The Africa Mentor Network Inc. (TAMN) is to be the largest network of Mentors for Africans who will help develop individuals to create awareness for themselves to improve and advance their social, educational and economic opportunities.”

Looking at the needs of the African youth, The Africa Mentor Network Inc. was founded. The programs the organization is working to implement include Mentoring programs, Motivational speakers program, and the “Educate me” Scholars program.
The Africa Mentor Network Inc. (TAMN) has been structured to operate only in African countries. The program will begin and be launched in Ghana, West Africa in August 2009 and expand to other African countries. There will be an exciting launching event, which will be announced by the end of June 2009.
The Africa Mentor Network Inc. is currently accepting donations and sponsorships from generous individuals and corporations. Donations can also be made through their website.

If you’d like more information about this organization or to schedule an interview with Esi Yankah, call 020 3325043 or email esiyankah@africamentor.org. Visit their website www.africamentor.org and join them on facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1094015546474&mbox_pos=0#/pages/THE-AFRICA-MENTOR-NETWORK-INC-Africa-helping-Africans/47922277273

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG!!!!

We finally have a blog and we promise to make it fun and exciting! Come back for more news, stories, gossips about this wonderful organization and what we are trying to do!