Our Board Members of Project OKURASE, U.S. have a passion for our organization and those we serve. They work hard to ensure long-term sustainability of Project OKURASE and oversee the funds raised to assure that they directly impact those in need.
Dr. Cynthia Cupit Swenson
Dr. Swenson is Board Chair of Project OKURASE, U.S. and has volunteered for Project OKURASE for 20 years. She is centrally involved with Nkabom Sundrops Montessori School operations and Health programs in Okurase. She has directed the majority of research projects that have occurred under Project OKURASE.
Dr. Ida Singletary Taylor
Dr. Taylor is Treasurer for Project OKURASE, U.S. She has volunteered for Project OKURASE on a regular basis since her first trip to Ghana in 2006. Dr. Taylor has been co-director of Djole through the life of the organization. She has traveled to Okurase many times over the years and has helped with set up of the Village Health Outreach and a quilting program.
Ginneh Slaughter
Ginneh Slaughter has been a volunteer with Project OKURASE for 10 years. She has a master’s degree in French and International Development and a master’s degree in Global Social Work Practice. Her academic background and experience have helped her to lend her knowledge to various projects such as the VHO and the Organic Farming Project. She loves working with the people in Okurase and is known for positive energy.
Iris Poole
Iris Poole has been involved with Project OKURASE since her first trip to Ghana in 2006. She has been involved with oversight of Djole Dance and Drumming Company throughout its tenure. Her area of focus for Project OKURASE has been on the Village Health Outreach, gathering supplies and entering patient registration data. Iris is a retired supervisor from Charleston County School District food service. Her long career has given her a lasting interest in children and nutrition. She has taken her knowledge of food service and conducted food preparation and safety workshop for women in Okurase.
ONGOING COLLABORATORS
Dr. Linda M. Plunkett
Linda M. Plunkett, Ph.D., is a native Charlestonian, a third-generation CPA, a retired Professor of Accounting at the College of Charleston, a writer, and community volunteer. She serves on several boards of nonprofit organizations. Dr. Plunkett has been an active volunteer with Project OKURASE for many years. Her focus has been on bringing safe water to the village, children’s education, and women’s entrepreneurship.
Dr. Rene Dentiste Mueller
Rene Dentiste Mueller, PhD is a professor at the School of Business, College of Charleston/University of Charleston. She is also Director of the Global Business Resource Center and Global Scholars programs. Dr. Mueller has received several federal grants that have focused efforts on developing student engagement activities in developing countries. In 2013, she brought students to Ghana to work on micro-lending projects and traveled to Okurase to educate school children on the importance of clean water and hygiene. Dr. Mueller has been volunteering with Project Okurase since 2012.
Dr. Eve Spratt
Dr. Eve G. Spratt is Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is a licensed pediatrician and child psychiatrist. Dr. Spratt attended the 2006 trip with Djole to Ghana and served as the group physician. It’s a role that stayed with her and expanded to Project OKURASE where she is Medical Director. Dr. Spratt has a special interest in nutrition in young children and completed a nutrition research project in the village.
Gerald Bybee
We are forever indebted to Gerry Bybee, photographer and imager from Sebastopol, California who is now in Arizona. Gerry traveled to Okurase with Dr. Mary Sanders Clinical Associate Professor, Stanford Medical School and spent 10 days taking images of people that show the strength, spirit and amazing color of Ghana. His work is so outstanding that his exhibition, Okurase: Portrait of a Village was on display at the Medical University of South Carolina in the James W. Colbert Education Center for 10 years. Contact Gerry at www.bybee.com
Chris Moore
Chris is an Architect in South Carolina. When he was a graduate student at Clemson University School of Architecture, he took the lead on a major service project to develop the architectural design for a school, centre, and medical building in Okurase. He subsequently lived in Okurase village (with his wife Evan) for 8 weeks to jumpstart the building of the school and since has served in a pro bono consulting capacity.
Daniel Scruggs
Born into a musical family, Daniel Scruggs has always been a musician. He spent the majority of his childhood in the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps in Virginia. He’s also a traveler, citizen of the world, and humanitarian. He has a big heart for children and community. In recent years he completed his studies to be a Montessori teacher. His work at Sundrops Montessori in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina led him to meet a child named Francis Yevuga. Francis was in the United States for medical care due to progressive blindness. At Sundrops Montessori, Francis inspired Daniel and Daniel inspired Francis. This not so chance meeting was a catalyst for the musician, citizen of the world, traveler, and humanitarian, to develop a music resource center in Okurase Village, and become the founder of the Nkabom World Music Festival in Okurase. Additional bio information for Daniel can be found at his website – peaceculturemusic.com
Carmen Ketron
Carmen is a Farm Educator. All her life she wanted to work in Africa and the opportunity came. Carmen met Isaac Owu from Ghana when he volunteered with her at the Urban Farm in Charleston. This interaction led to Carmen spearheading a project in January 2017 to develop an organic teaching garden in the village of Okurase. The garden has been wildly successful. Isaac Owu manages the garden and Carmen provides consultation on an as needed basis via phone or internet. Thanks to Carmen’s efforts and collaboration, Project OKURASE is pleased to have the Nkabom Centre Organic Garden to teach our school children how to garden organically and to provide some vegetables for the school. Carmen is an extremely knowledgeable educator and exudes a positive spirit.
Maahi Prakash
Maahi is an 11th-grade student passionate about helping children feel seen and supported. She founded Bag of Joy (www.bagofjoy.org) when she was in 5th grade with the hope of bringing joy to kids who need it most. What started with one Christmas wishlist for a foster child has grown into a platform that connects kind people to trusted nonprofits. Maahi has gotten involved with Nkabom Sundrops Montessori in Okurase. Today, through Bag of Joy, she helps foster kids in Michigan experience the magic of holidays and supports students in Okurase, so they can attend school. She believes every child deserves a moment of joy -whether in her local community or across the world. Maahi is also a certified phlebotomist, reflecting her growing interest in healthcare. Her favorite subject is Psychology, and she also loves baking, choreographing dances, and making crafts.
