Meet the Finalist: RURAL COMMUNITIES EMPOWERMENT CENTER, FOUNDED BY PHILOMENA AMOAKO

Philomena Amoako is the Founder/President of Rural Communities Empowerment Center, a finalist to receive funds raised at the annual Star 100 New York Fundraiser.

STAR 100 NEW YORK: When did you start Rural Communities Empowerment Center (RCEC)?
RURAL COMMUNITIES EMPOWERMENT CENTER: In 2002, RCEC obtained NGO status in Ghana and US with registered charity 501(c) (3) status in 2003. In 2004 the first RCEC one-stop-shop Community Resource Center (CRC) was established in Apirede providing four core services: library, ICT facilities, mentoring programs, and women and adolescent girls’ empowerment skills programs; followed by the second CRC in Jumapo in 2008. The CRCs are in the eastern region of Ghana. As the Chief of Apirede said at the inauguration, “We are proud to say that our citizens now have all the tools needed for self-help, development, and to catch the 21st century train.”

*100: What inspired you to start RCEC?
RCEC: The inspiration to start RCEC came over a period of time. Each time I visited my home town (Apirede) in Ghana, I saw the deterioration of education standards, lack of teaching resources and learning facilities. On those visits, teachers, schoolchildren, and parents stated the urgency of having books, teachers’ resource materials, and what they considered the modern way of getting information – (ICT).

The visible need of the people in the community was further reinforced by conversations with my parents. They would talk about the needs of the children and our conversations always ended with, “never lose sight of where you come from.”

Several conversations with family and friends reinforced educating the next generation, empowering a community with skills for economic independence for girls and women.

*100: What is RCEC’s mission?
RCEC: Empower underprivileged rural communities with literacy tools and skills for economic development so citizens can take charge of their lives and break the cycle of poverty.

*100: What have been the greatest challenges to accomplishing RCEC’s mission?
RCEC: As with any venture, success was not immediate. It was a slow and uneven process of growth over the years, changing management (rural communities are not equipped to take on such projects), hand-holding, evolving rules and policies, dedication, communication, and the hard work it takes to keep the CRCs running well.

We also continuously face the growing demand on the CRCs as more families become aware of the potential for their children. For example, since we started the mentoring programs for the 13-17 year olds there have been complaints from the staff of the CRCs that there is simply too much demand for the activities! I suppose this is a wonderful “high quality” problem to have.

*100: What has been the single most gratifying experience/victory you’ve had since you’ve been at the helm of RCEC?
RCEC: There are several gratifying experiences:
o Over 2,000 school children, teachers and adults have been given introductory classes in ICT. More than 3,000 have learned and used the Internet.
o Interest in reading has increased sharply with over 20,000 people, mostly schoolchildren and teachers using the library facilities.
o Gender equality is on the rise. Women are now better articulating their needs and those of their children.
o Adolescent school drop-outs are receiving training in tailoring which has led to the inception of the burgeoning Naana B. handbag and clothing line.

But the most gratifying and humble experience is seeing broad smiles on faces of adolescent girls who through RCEC mentoring programs of Math, Science, and English have passed the Basic School Certificate Examination and have obtained admissions into some of the better public high schools. Competing with their urban counterparts -- something they never dreamt would happen to them.

The lesson for me is that empowering communities with the strength to foster and manage their own development is the greatest gift you can give, and that “empowerment starts one community at a time.” Also, providing children and youth a chance to dream is equally powerful.
For more information on RCEC go to www.rcempowerment.org.

Meet the Finalist: LEUKAEMIA PROJECT FOUNDATION, CO-FOUNDED BY PETER OSEI TUTU

The Leukaemia Project Foundation, co-founded by Peter Osei Tutu, is a finalist to receive funds raised from the annual Star 100 fundraiser.

STAR 100 NEW YORK: Who founded the Leukaemia Project Foundation and when?
LEUKAEMIA PROJECT FOUNDATION: The foundation was initially formed in 2008 by a leukaemia survivor and two doctors at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital in Ghana. In February 2011 it merged with my foundation, The Keith Agyepong Leukaemia Trust to put resources together and meet the same goals.


*100: What inspired you to start LPF?
LPF: The foundation was set up to give a chance to people living with blood cancers as well as haematological diseases such as sickle cell disease to receive comprehensive treatment locally at a cost much lower than what is currently being offered in centers in UK, USA or South Africa. Patients currently receiving treatment for blood cancers in Ghana are limited to
treatment available which in a significant number of cases is not comprehensive with resultant low survival rate,and so we felt it was time to change the outlook of blood diseases in Ghana and the sub region.

*100: What is LPF's mission?
LPF: Based on the realization that Leukaemia and other haematological neoplasm have attained debilitating proportions in Ghana and convinced that, we can in our individual and institutional capacities collectively contribute positively to halting this challenging and tragic malignancy, the Leukaemia Foundation has - as a private initiative - committed itself to
mobilizing resources to help in the education for the prevention as well as the care and cure of Ghanaians living with leukaemia, lymphoma and related blood disorders.

From raising funds, to creating awareness, to scientific advances, our goal is to save each and every life. Here’'s what we’re trying to do:

a. The foremost objective of the foundation is to mobilize resources for the construction and management of the Leukaemia Cancer Center in Korle-Bu to be named Ghana Center for Haematology and Clinical Genetics”, which the management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have generously provided land for. The proposed Ghana Center for Haematology and Clinical Genetics
will [include]:

Routine, special and tissue-typing Laboratories comprising the following:

- Main eight rooms with separate blood transfusion wing, HLA laboratory, Bleeding/Pheresis Room, Serology Laboratory, Blood Bank Fridges special and tissue-typing
- Clean Laboratory with bacteriology unit, microflow, air filter for stem cell preparations and to allow storage with liquid nitrogen
- Research Laboratory with Flow Cytometer, Fluorescent microscope, and appropriate storage facilities
- Teaching Laboratory with Hydraheaded microscopes, camera attachment and ICT connection.
- Day Care Wing providing 10 beds, drugs room, nurses room, washrooms, and records room
- General wards to accommodate 18 males and 18 females and high dependency ward to accommodate four beds
- Outpatient department (OPD) housing five suites and a small lab with mini coulter
- Bone marrow registry
- Faculty Practice Wing
- ICT will be deployed as an enabler to record, retrieve, analyze and share information on patients. The ICT infrastructure to be deployed will comprise:
- 20 computers with internet connectivity
- Software for entering all patient information and photographs on first attendance and
subsequent updates
- Patients’ data to be retrievable on computer at OPD suit i.e. laboratory information, drug
information, etc.
- Link to Cancer Register
- Offices for Consultants and Unit Administration


b.Support and implement successful evidence based community practices that provide awareness of leukaemia with the view to reducing the burden of leukaemia in Ghana, through behavioral community change and effective environmental and industrial management

c.Sponsor fellowships and scholarships programmes aimed at encouraging talented young scientists, medical graduates and researchers to pursue careers in basic, applied or translational research to find better cures and better ways to care for patients and families living with haematological malignancies

d.Support capacity building and enhance the viability of institutions and individuals involved in the vital research into the causes, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment, psychological impact and ultimately cures for leukaemia, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders

e.Encourage excellence in Leukaemia prevention and treatment initiatives by rewarding individuals and institutions that have accomplished remarkable results in prevention and treatment programmes.

*100: What have been the greatest challenges to accomplishing LPF's mission?
LPF: We would say we are still crawling but if corporate bodies will come on board that would help us achieve a goal of finishing the building in two years a reality.

*100: What is your vision for LPF's future?
LPF: Our vision is to see Ghana as one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to have a cancer and genetic research center, which we hope to have in two years.

Meet the Finalist: PRINCESS UMUL HATIYYA

Princess Umul Hatiyya's eponymous Foundation is one of the finalists to receive funds raised at Star 100 New York's annual Fundraiser.

STAR 100 NEW YORK: When did you start Princess Umul Hatiyya Foundation?
PRINCESS UMUL HATTIYA: PUH Foundation was started in January 2009.

*100: What inspired you to start the Foundation?
PUH: PUH Foundation was born out of the desire to see Africa transformed from a third world continent to a First Class continent and Education is the vehicle for this change.

*100: What is the Foundation's mission?
PUH: The PUH Foundation's mission is to build primary, secondary, and tertiary schools across Africa. Our mission is to also grant scholarships to brilliant, but needy students to pursue higher Education in 1st Class schools/universities (around the world).

*100: What have been the greatest challenges to accomplishing the Foundation's mission?
PUH: The biggest challenge to accomplishing this mission has been inadequate funding. However, we know that with our concerted effort and passion for what we do, we will overcome this hurdle.

*100: What has been the single most gratifying experience/victory you've had since you've been at the helm of the Foundation ?
PUH: The most gratifying experience has been embarking on a 650km bicycle ride from Accra to Tamale (or New York - Washington - New York) to raise funds to build a 6-classroom block, library, and toilet facilities for Nouri Imam Primary School. Completing the bicycle ride, the project, and seeing the lives of the children of Nouri Imam transformed has been the most gratifying experience I have ever had.

Microsoft is Hiring

Stars, Microsoft wants you.

Check out the job listings below and contact martine.cadet@microsoft.com for a full job description if your resume matches the required qualifications.


ACCOUNT MANAGER
They need: A highly motivated individual to manage several financial services accounts in the NY Metropolitan area
You can/have:
1. Develop and maintain broad and deep customer partnerships that involve building relationships at the CxO level and expanding relationships outside of IT.
2. A strong understanding of your clients; business and their respective markets.
3. Ensure that your teams are well-orchestrated and leveraged around accounts and opportunities, by communicating the vision and strategy for each account, handing off opportunities to team members and providing feedback as needed.
4. Create strategic and actionable account plans that define a clear growth strategy.
5. Develop and manage a healthy and predictable pipeline that includes qualified opportunities.
6. Close opportunities by continuously reinforcing business value.
7. Ensure that clients deploy the solutions acquired by working with team members on deployment plans and customer adoption of these plans.
8. 8+ years of proven sales experience in Enterprise accounts and a track record of working with a wide range of business partners.
9. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with equally good listening and qualification skills.
10. Extensive experience working in large “virtual” account teams-field sales, inside sales, technical specialists, services, partners, and leading these teams towards a common vision/strategy for each account.
11. An understanding of Microsoft technologies and our license programs would be a distinct advantage. An overall passion for sales within a technology environment and for the business value it drives.
12. A B.A (Master's/MBA Preferred)



PRE-SALES SHAREPOINT ENGINEER
They need: A Collaboration Technology Specialist (TSP-Collab) in New York to provide strategic technical leadership supporting Microsoft customers and partners to adopt, deploy, and support solutions based on SharePoint Server and related Business Productivity technologies, including SharePoint Development, Collaborative Workspaces/Portals, ECM, Business Intelligence, Forms and Enterprise Search.
You can/have:
1. Provide strategic technical advice to customers, communicating value-added contributions of MS products and services, including both long term messages about products, technologies, and services, as well as short term positioning for competitive situations or dynamic market conditions.
2. Provide technical expertise in helping customers evaluate solutions based on SharePoint, while influencing the business decision making process. Must help enterprise customers understand how our products can be applied to drive business value.
3. A strong understanding of the competitive landscape and be able to articulate competitive differentiators.
4. Support Proof of Concepts, Architecture Design Sessions and Strategy/Technology Briefings proving Microsoft’s capabilities meet customer’s requirements.
5. Increase and accelerate SharePoint Server deployments.
6. Drive customer and partner satisfaction for SharePoint and SharePoint based solutions.
7. Connect enterprise customers and partners back to the product groups.
8. Assist with partner and internal sales readiness.
9. Team with Sales Representatives, Partners, Microsoft Consulting Services and Marketing to meet customer needs.
10. 5+ years with proven skills and experience.
11. Deep (level 300/400) working knowledge/experience using SharePoint Server and its major competitors, Business Intelligence, Microsoft Office, Cloud computing and related Business Productivity technologies. Practical knowledge and experience. Microsoft SharePoint certifications preferred.
12. Proven success with enterprise customers, working knowledge of solution-selling strategies and tactics and business value selling including but not limited to, strategic planning, risk analysis and business justification.
13. Strong presentation skills, delivering persuasive presentations to both technical and business decision makers.
14. High degree of collaboration with multiple Microsoft sales personnel, as well as Microsoft Partners and customers will be required for success.
15. Demonstrate time management and multitasking skills. Ability to handle many projects / customer engagements simultaneously and ability to identify and focus on priorities while appropriately setting expectations with customers, colleagues and manager.
16. Articulate the Microsoft Business Productivity strategy and our integrated innovation story.



GLOBAL BUSINESS MANAGER
They need: A qualified individual who will enable and lead the entire sales relationship between Microsoft and this Global New York Financial Services Firm.
You can/have:
1. Manage all aspects of the sell to relationship with New York Financial Services Firm
2. Manage the MS relationship with all of the product groups, executive sponsors and New York Financial Services Firm’s executives
3. Manage the virtual and hard line Global Account team.
4. Establish and execute a global and multi-year account business plan that identifies strategically and tactically how the business growth, Customer & Partner Experience (CPE) performance and other metric based performance factors will be achieved. Execute the plan and meet or exceed metric goals including revenue, CPE, competitive displacement, and other goals.
5. Succeed as the most senior point of focus for global pricing negotiations/discussions (licensing and other agreements). The GBM is the last point of non-Microsoft management escalation on all pricing and LCA issues impacting the account.
6. Provide a predictable and consistent interface between Microsoft and the Global Customer. The operating model should leverage the extended team of resources available from Microsoft, but achieve a high level of predictability, consistency and responsiveness.
7. Maintain a comprehensive account profile for the account. The profile should show relationship maps for the global customer account that identifies each contact’s power, purpose, value to Microsoft, and relationship links/power flows within the global account. The profile should enable Microsoft to maximize the business benefit from relationships across the customer account, in support of the account business plan.
8. Define and execute a relationship strategy with CxOs and identified supporters, neutrals and non-supporters across the global customer account that allows you to gain insight into the customer’s business initiatives and the barriers to the success of those initiatives.
9. Align to EPG objectives - CPE (Customer and Partner Engagement), CSI (Competitive Strategic Initiative), Relationship Excellence, Growth, Realizing Value through a One Microsoft positioning.
10. Develop and execute a multi-year global strategy with the account that enables Microsoft to help the customer grow and differentiate themselves. Develop and execute the strategy and drive the customer to recognize that the Microsoft relationship is bringing unprecedented business value on all theaters of interaction.
11. Track and manage the plan-of record for sales engagement between the customer and Microsoft. Manage internally the global pipeline and opportunity progress across the extended account team. Comply with all internal requirements for global major account sales management.
12. Manage local, regional and corporate internal executives to get the right resources in the right place as needed to support the account business plan.
13. 10+ years of proven sales leadership with demonstrable track record achieving or exceeding revenue and other account goals.
14. Significant experience leading and setting strategy for a distributed global team that includes sales, support, consulting and business partners
15. Experience with managing and selling to customers in the Financial Services Industry segment and understanding of IT issues as they apply to the Financial Services Industry.
16. Experience in negotiating multi-year contracts over $50M in value, preferable Microsoft license programs
17. Experience with successful interactions at C-Suite level in Fortune 500 customers.
18. An overall passion for sales within a technology environment and for the business value it drives, preferably a broad understanding of the business applications for Microsoft technologies
19. A B.A. (Master’s/MBA preferred)



TECHNICAL SALES PROFESSIONAL
They need: A Technical Sales Professional in Atlanta with deep and broad technology experience as well as strong solution selling skills.
You have/can:
1. Deep enterprise infrastructure experience, including in-depth, hands-on knowledge of the Windows Server 2008 R2, System Center (SCCM & SCOM), and Forefront Unified Access Gateway.
2. Experience in one or more of the following is also required: RMS, SCDPM, SCSM, Forefront Protection Suite, Virtualization (Hyper-V and VDI scenarios) and other MDOP technologies.
3. Articulate the value of and design the architectures for integrating Core Infrastructure technologies in support of other workloads (such as Application Platform and Business Productivity).
4. The ability to explain abstract technical concepts in a business value context is also a must.
5. A BS/BA degree or equivalent work experience combined with a minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience, including a technical sales background is strongly preferred.
6. A commitment to customer satisfaction, including internal customers.
7. The ability to thrive in a virtual team environment, and strong communication and presentation skills.
8. The ability and passion necessary to maintain technical excellence with emerging technologies, including competitive technologies, while continuing to manage customer opportunities.
9. A willingness to travel.



ACCOUNT TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST
They need: A highly motivated individual to be an Account Technology Specialist supporting major accounts in the New York metropolitan area.
You can/have:
1. Provided pre-sales technical/architectural support.
2. Evangelize current and future MS products and technologies including full platform software roadmap.
3. Build and maintain technical trusted advisor relationships with influential technical decision makers for the successful adoption and deployment of Microsoft products and technologies.
4. Assist the Account Manager in formulating and executing the team’s sales strategy in meeting revenue goals and winning strategic initiatives.
5. Identify customer requirements and provide feedback into appropriate Microsoft business groups.
6. Perform white space analysis based upon Microsoft’s Infrastructure Optimization Model by analyzing the current status of the customer’s installed base, purchasing and deployment history.
7. The ability to map a customer’s business need to technology solutions and articulate the business value of Microsoft software and position them in competitive scenarios.
8. Ensure that there is a clear and jointly agreed upon adoption and deployment plan for all Microsoft technologies.
9. Work with customers to ensure that they understand the benefits of moving to a higher level of maturity across Business Productivity, Application Platform and Core Infrastructure areas.
Work with senior and executive level management.
10. Qualify opportunities by clearly articulating the opportunity returned to Microsoft strategically, financially, or both.
11. Be a part of the team that is the predictable and consistent interface from Microsoft into your customer accounts by building and maintaining relationships at various levels within both the technical community and the lines of business.
12. Perform formal handoff of opportunities to appropriate opportunity owners and conduct formal, regularly scheduled team meetings to review active opportunities.
Coordinating a virtual team across different areas of technology encompassing key stakeholders in closing opportunities.
13. 7+ years of proven technical sales experience in Enterprise accounts, and a track record of working with a wide range of business partners.
14. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with equally good listening and qualification skills.
15. Completed courses such as Strategic Selling, Strategic Negotiations, Helping Clients Succeed and Target Account Selling.
16. Experience in high-tech manufacturing, transportation or professional services industry preferred.
17. Broad and/or in-depth knowledge across the following Microsoft products and Technologies: Windows Server family, Active Directory, Office XP and later, Windows XP Professional, Vista, SQL Server, Exchange Server, and Systems Management Server, Virtualization, Infrastructure Optimization, High Performance Computing.
18. A BA/BS or MS degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline is preferred. MCSE or equivalent professional certification is preferred.
19. A willingness to travel.


MAJOR ACCOUNT MANAGER
They need: A highly motivated and seasoned individual to join Microsoft’s Greater Southeast District Enterprise Sales Organization that will be responsible for selling to and managing Microsoft’s Enterprise Customers in the Carolinas.
You have/can:
1. A strategic approach to selling solutions positioned to solve customer problems
2. Think and act independently and do what’s necessary to meet the customer’s expectations
3. 5+ years enterprise sales experience with Enterprise class customers selling and/or marketing technology-based solutions
4. A track record of success meeting/exceeding sales quotas in the $15-$20 million/year range
5. Proven skills at developing win/win business relationships and selling products to IT Pro’s and C-level Executives in large organizations
6. Formal training in Solution Selling methodology or comparable consultative selling program
7. The ability to effectively position product features, marketing/engagement programs and negotiate contracts that align with Customer needs
8. Knowledge of competitors’ products and selling strategies
9. Knowledge of distribution channels (LAR/ESA), local partners and system integrators
10. Strong communication and presentation skills

VOTE: Which Finalist Charity Should the Fundraiser Benefit?

Stars, the five finalist charities are in! Scroll below for more info on each organization and cast your vote!

Last month we asked you to nominate a worthy organization working to benefit Ghanaians, and we were thrilled to receive close to 20 nominations! It's so exciting to discover how many different groups are doing good in and for Ghana.

Upon careful review of each nomination, we've cast our votes as Board Members to narrow the list down to these five finalists: The Leukaemia Project Foundation, OrphanAID Africa, The Rescue Foundation Ghana, Princess Umul Hattiyya Foundation, and Rural Communities Empowerment Center.

THE LEUKAEMIA PROJECT FOUNDATION
Leukaemia and other haematological neoplasm have attained debilitating proportions in Ghana. Convinced that we can, in our individual and institutional capacities, collectively contribute positively to halting this malignancy, The Leukaemia Project Foundation has committed itself to mobilizing resources to help educate for risk prevention, and
care for and cure Ghanaians living with leukaemia, lymphoma, and other related blood disorders. The foremost objective of the foundation is to mobilize resources for the construction and management of the Leukaemia Cancer Center in Korle Bu to be named “Ghana Center for Haematology and Clinical Genetics.”


ORPHANAID AFRICA
OrphanAid Africa (OA) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana to ensure they grow up in a safe and permanent family setting, as opposed to getting lost in the orphanage system. They are the only NGO to be named an implementing partner with the Government of Ghana's National Plan of Action for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, which seeks to transform the system from institutional care to family-based care by 2015. Over 80% of the orphans in Ghana have family nearby, but due to the burden of poverty and disease, families find it difficult to care for their children. OrphanAid Africa believes that poverty and ill health are not reasons for separating children from their families. They provide the most vulnerable families with basic needs such as food, clothing, safe housing, education and job training so that they can care for their own children--with the end-goal to eventually become autonomous. As of today, 459 children, once living in orphanages, have been resettled with their families or in foster care. Their programs will help the nearly 4,000 children currently living in institutions across Ghana transition smoothly into family-based care by 2015.


THE RESCUE FOUNDATION GHANA
Rescue Foundation Ghana is a non-governmental organization whose main aim is to: 1)Raise funds to support integrated projects and activities at the community level using Participatory Learning and Action techniques, and Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques, and 2)Advocate at the national level policies, legislation, and programs that will protect vulnerable women and children in Ghana through health prevention, education, employable skills, income generating activities, and the elimination of child labor and human trafficking.


PRINCESS UMUL HATTIYYA FOUNDATION
Princess Umul Hatiyya Foundation is a registered non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to improving access to education for the less privileged. The Princess Umul Hatiyya Foundation is run by accomplished individuals who are passionate about unleashing the full human potential for accelerated development and to give every needy child a fair chance to contribute to their nation's development. Only one in every two children in Africa is enrolled in Primary Education; large numbers attend schools that have no classrooms, no teachers, scarce learning materials, etc. In spite of good intentions, government is unable to provide adequate levels of educational facilities across all communities in the country. Hence, the focus of the Princess Umul Hatiyya Foundation to launch a crusade to solicit private/public sector support to increase access to Education for the less privileged. Click here to view the brochure.


RURAL COMMUNITIES EMPOWERMENT CENTER
When Philomena Amoako dreamed up the idea at her dining room table, to build a resource center outside her childhood home in Apirede Ghana, no one could have predicted how special the project would become, and how many lives would be affected. Rural Communities Empowerment Center (RCEC), a non-profit organization based in Ghana has changed thousands of lives. Conceived through the ingenuity, drive and passion of Philomena as a tribute to her parents, today two empowerment centers now stand as a testament to funding from such notable organizations as the World Bank, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), to list a few. Schoolchildren, adolescent school girls, and women are the main beneficiaries of the center whose goal is to provide its users with four core services: library, information and communication technology, children's facilities, tailoring training. The centers are built on the motto that it "Takes One Community at a Time.” Currently two centers are operating: Apirede Community Resource Center, and the ICT training center in Jumapo, RCEC’s second Resource Center).

Cast your vote now, and mobilize your network to support your choice. Email the link to this blog post or Facebook/Tweet it!

Don't forget to watch Facebook.com/Star100NewYork for news on the upcoming fundraiser. If you're not a member and want an invitation, email star100network.us@gmail.com to get on the list!

STAR 100 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: NOVISI ATADIKA

"My passion is using my investment skills toward the greater good."

MEMBER SINCE: 2008

WHY SHE'S A STAR: After a demanding day at work, many of us can't get up the energy to cook, let alone train for a marathon--but that's exactly what Novisi Atadika has been doing for the last four months, preparing to run 26 miles to raise funds for cancer research. An investment manager by trade, Novisi managed assets at an investment group for nearly four years before deciding to transition to the non-profit sector. "I need to be part of something that's making society better," she explains.

Now part of the investment team at a preeminent cancer research hospital, Atadika finds satisfaction in using her expertise to serve a cause that is meaningful to her. "I was born in Ghana, and now that I'm living in a more prosperous developed country, there's a drive from that background to do something."

Novisi will run the marathon this Sunday November 6th. Help her raise funds for critical cancer research -- DONATE HERE.

Who Should Get the Money?

UPDATE: We've extended the deadline to October 21st! Nominate a deserving charity today by emailing star100network.us@gmail.com a short paragraph explaining why you think this organization should be the recipient of our annual fundraiser.

Stars, do you know of an organization doing amazing things to benefit Ghanaians at home?? Every year we pick a charity to be the beneficiary of our fundraising effort, and this year we want you to be involved!

Email star100network.us@gmail.com to nominate a worthy organization, and include a short paragraph explaining why you think this charity should receive the funds. The deadline is October 15th, 11:59pm -- that's this Saturday! -- so get to it!

Past recipients include the Infant and Baby Unit at Korle Bu Hospital in Accra, the Red Cross (in support of their disaster relief efforts in connection with the floods that devastated Ghana's Northern Region), and Star 100 member Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo's health care initiative African Health Now in Pokuase.