Last to be seen as a place for trade and investment,
the continent of Africa largely remains invisible to the developed
world - except when it involves petroleum and other high valued
minerals. Yet, within and across Africa, opportunity for sound
investment and trade exist. Motivated by the 2000 African Growth
and Opportunity Act and the 2004 Millennium Challenge Corporation
policy initiatives, qualifying African countries are looking to
"U.S. know how" now more than ever, to help them grow
their economies, reduce poverty and connect to the global marketplace.
The continent's more then 775 million people are looking for solid
opportunities for economic growth and social well-being - Africa
is now in positive transition. Market opportunities for Kentucky
companies and entrepreneurs in Africa are real and plentiful.
Six years ago The EconVillage Group, LLC (EVG),
a for-profit Kentucky corporation focusing on managing for quality
outcomes began its mission to lead in helping to reduce poverty
and social inequities in Ghana, West Africa by using business
development policy and relationships to promote greater socio-economic
equity. EVG and its commercial, government, and educational partners
in Africa and the U.S., are engaging in local participative civic
and social planning tied to the human and civic infrastructure
needs of small and medium size corporate business ventures - manpower
development, local banking and financing, and intellectual property
rights.
The work of EVG and its commercial partner, Whayne
Supply Company, and education partner, Jefferson Community &
Technical College, resulted in an invitation from Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice to come to Washington D.C. for the Compact
Signing Ceremony between the Millennium Challenge Corporation
(MCC) and the Republic of Ghana on Tuesday, August 1, 2006. The
signing will establish a $547 million dollar Millennium Challenge
Account with Ghana. After the signing, EVG and their partners
will return to Ghana to further clarify how technical training
in support of business ventures will strengthen each others outcome
measures while reducing local poverty.
EVG will travel to Ghana, West Africa August 8 through
August 15, 2006. The travel delegation will work under the theme
of "Building a Skilled and Responsive Workforce System in
Support of a Growing Ghanaian Economy." The working group,
which includes entrepreneurs, educators and government leaders
is now known as iTEC/Africa (International Technical and Economic
Consortium/Africa).
Strategic goals for the August visit are:
1. Access to Training - Create a bridge of quality learning opportunities
for Ghanaians seeking a technical-vocational education and training.
2. Workforce Development - Standardize and upgrade Ghana's workforce
training and development standards (to world standards) for teaching
and learning technical skills, and
3. Reverse Brain-drain - Build into Ghana's vocational and technical
training system the capacity to produce and sustain a quality
workforce that attracts economic development and returns talented
and skilled Ghanaians from the Ghana diaspora.
Expected Outcomes from the Travel are:
1. Secure a better understanding of how, who, and where to find
local and international financial support for the concept of developing
Ghana's human potential and business growth through quality technical
training and vocational education in Ghana and West Africa.
2. Introduce Louisville and Kentucky business interests to Ghana
and West Africa's emerging commercial markets and business opportunities.
And
3. Sign a Purchase and Guaranty Agreement between Louisville,
Kentucky based Whayne Supply Company, The EconVillage Group, Ghana
based EconVillage Associates, and the Ghana Department of Feeder
Roads to supply their contractors with reliable used or refurbished
Caterpillar road building equipment.
EVG is proud to be the facilitator of the visit
to Ghana and served as the consultant and broker for the workforce
development project. EconVillage believes that after six years
at designing its village-centered concept of quality economic
development in the emerging Ghanaian market, we better understand
how and why a participative systems approach to building markets
in Africa, and understanding in Kentucky, will reduce poverty
and inequalities across the African continent and beyond.
Contact Nathaniel E. Green
1-502-587-0533 Work
1-502-295-1980 Cell
1-502-425-4789 Home
negreen-asso@att.net
