Why do investors say when the global market economy is at its lowest it is a great time to invest? Have we ever considered when a city or country is at its lowest to invest in?
I spent my life trying to figure this out myself growing up in Flint, MI; why it was challenging to see the “Heartbeat of America” mobilize the workforce and then all of a sudden the city became desolate. I believe I know the answer now, but it took some time to figure it all out after moving to Charlotte, NC where the banking industry is the second largest in the country. It was there that I learned early on in the late 1990s working in private lending administration, that African Americans were not included in those banking portfolios. Was it education? Was it a lack of knowledge of the political and economic landscape? Was it social inequalities? The answer is all the above! I developed a hard-core passion to figure out the system of the private sector and was blessed to work in almost every division within the bank except risk management and investment banking. After realizing being black in America was no easy feat, I started my own business to service the media landscape and develop a pathway for talents to create success-based-programming and further took steps to push initiatives promoting the possibility to drive sustainable social-economic impact in the city.
I became a delegate for the African Growth Opportunity Act to learn more about international trade and commerce, traveled to Washington, DC and sat in ministerial forums with all the African Heads of State. Our delegation had the opportunity to hear from the then African Union Ambassador to the U.S.A. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao who gave a compelling speech at the Ghana Embassy that it was time for the Diaspora to go back home to invest. Many other nations are seeking to do business in Africa and it would be a sad situation if we fall behind. The message ignited my soul so deep and this propelled my new business venture aspiration to set out to mobilize the workforce by identifying investors and aligning strategic partners to revolutionize world systems of politics and economics. I did everything to connect the dots; spreading the good news about the opportunities to build with Prosper Africa and the Africa Agenda 2063 plan. I reached out to Ambassador Quao directly to see if I could set up a private meeting with a key stakeholder in the east corridor who had the vision to launch the Park International Trade Hub. She excitedly agreed so I began bridging connections to make sure this venture happened. I worked with Dr. Quao to ‘Bridge the diaspora to the continent of Africa initiative’.
What does Sierra Leone look like in the 21st Century?
My faith led me to this point, I conferred with God on a higher level and it was time to do the work! In October 2019, we received a formal visa invitation by the Vice President of Sierra Leone, to visit the country. Sierra Leone gained its independence in 1961, the country economy freedom indexed is ranked 43rd among 47 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region with a steep plunge in fiscal health and lower scores for labor freedom, monetary freedom, and business freedom overwhelming improvements in the tax burden, judicial effectiveness, and government integrity, and the country’s overall score remains among the world’s poorest countries. Decades of economic decline and 11 years of armed conflict had dramatic consequences on the economy, ranking 180 out of 187 countries and territories in the human development category well below the regional and world averages. I wondered, “What in the world are we about to encounter” and prayed for strength to be amongst many to assist with building a brighter Sierra Leone.
Once we landed in Sierra Leone, I looked all around the tarmac at all the people around me and suddenly found myself falling to my knees. I bowed my head and placed both hands to the ground thanking God I made it to Freetown safe and sound. The last step off the plane touching African soil for the first time on the Motherland was a breathtaking moment! I realized I was in one of the major parts of the world where the slave trade began by the British empire and the transatlantic slave trade was abolished in the 1830s.
The business landscape, human capital and overall potential for economic development in Sierra Leone by far is made of brilliant, resilient, hard-working people, beautiful natural resources and minerals. The compound homes made with marbles and stones, lovely beaches, resorts, vast farmlands and so much more made it hard to believe this country experienced a decade long civil war. The cultural shock came when all these beauties existed amongst state government buildings plagued with decaying infrastructure, tin houses with poor hygiene standards due to lack of electricity and water.
I used a keke (three-wheeler taxi) or bike daily to get from place to place. I gradually connected with the people always greeting them with a smile and they always returned the favor. It was evident that Sierra Leoneans have gone through some traumatic experiences. Traveling all through the neighboring streets of PZ area, Fourah Bay College it is unbelievable to see the environmental issues surrounding these areas. It broke my heart to see desolate areas with dilapidated slum homes, children carrying babies on their backs in congested traffic areas, small business vendors setting markets in the street with new and used merchandise. Day in and out it was difficult watching my fellow brothers and sisters having to consistently hustle on the rocky red dirt roads to access limited concrete streets just to make ends meet for their families. I stopped a few construction workers to verify if it was true that they are being paid less than $100 per month. I was disheartened to find out that actually many were being paid $60 per month to build infrastructure for Chinese investors.
Save the Young Girls Foundation was an orphanage I had an opportunity to visit. I met 30 young girls at this orphanage; they were so inspiring amidst horrible living conditions. It was like looking at modern-day slavery, there is absolutely no excuse for children and people to be living under this polluted environment in the 21st century. I was so moved by the experience, the girls showered me with love and presented hand made dolls they created from donated sewing machines. I made known on LinkedIn social media the opportunity to create a mentorship program matching 30 USA women to each of these young girls who aspired to work in their various career fields. These 30 phenomenal Diaspora women stepped up to the plate, we held conference calls to help structure the mentorship program, we raised funds to pay for their housing lease full year for 2020 and set a sustainability goal to help build a new home for them by 2021 working with Project Genes1s organization. With our plans, we hope to help Save The Young Girls Foundation to sell their handmade dolls via e-commerce and raise funds for them to achieve this vision on future farmland our group has identified in a town called Mabafti.
LONG-TERM SOLUTION?
Herein are my thoughts on what needs to be done? When the market is low, good investors if you are out there “Pull Up” as the singer Rhianna says. Let’s mobilize our youth/Diaspora to ensure a productive and viable workforce.
We don’t have to make a decision to operate with the World Bank, or multilateral banking institutions, IMF or sovereign trust funds that do not have the best interest for the people other than servicing their own capital gains.
It is your choice to align with strategic valuable partners
Knock doors down and work with governments because they need you more than we need them. It is our responsibility to hold them accountable. The opportunity is wide open especially the ones that need help with organization and administration.
Communicate your Private Public Partnership (PPP) plan on how it's going to affect the market and raise the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on the criteria measures you create to transform sustainable communities.
It takes effective leadership with integrity, relationships that are aligned in vision, mission, and goals, and transparent communication to get the work done.
Don’t have to make things difficult to make a difference.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going, to tell the truth, and shame the devil. I got fed-up after seeing that Mike Bloomberg’s advertising budget was over $500 million. At the end of the day, all I can think about is what $500 Million in ads would have done for Flint, MI and Sierra Leone altogether that would have boosted the market economy. Whatever it takes to make it happen, I’ve learned evangelizing society is bringing good news into every human situation... mobilizing the economic workforce with social equality will help transform mentalities and create healthy sustainable communities. I can hear the Michael Jackson song “We are the world, we are the children, we are the ones to make a better place so let’s start giving”.
My journey in entrepreneurship has been phenomenal, the experience I’ve gained no book in school could ever replace. The wisdom, knowledge, and instructions that have been given to me to help ensure SMART sustainable communities are developed are invaluable.
To learn more please visit my website at www.globalimpactindustries.com
Yes, I would be happy to work with you.