I was born in Accra, which is capitol of Ghana. My family consists of 4 girls and 3 boys, of which I am the oldest. We all live in Africa, but now are scattered in different cities. We see each other from time to time and I really like that. As for me, I have stayed in Accra all of my life, except for the traveling I do.
When I was growing up, I enjoyed playing soccer and watching movies with friends. All of the schools I attended were in Accra and I was a pretty good student. My favorite subject was always geography, which really isn't surprising as I like to travel.
Today I find myself married to a wonderful woman named Henrietta. We are blessed to be able to say we have 4 children. They can be a handful at times, but we wouldn't know what to do without them!
My daughter is the oldest at 17, and her name is Matilda. We also have 3 boys, ages 14, 5 and 3. Their names are Richard Junior, Noah and Mark. They keep us pretty busy -- like kids everywhere. My youngest two are always asking me to play games with them or take them out to eat somewhere. They like to spend time with me and I think that's really nice.
After high school I studied civil engineering at a technical school. My first job was working for the Ghana Highway Authority, where I worked for twenty years as a consultant for the road construction that needed to be done. I enjoyed that work, but after that period of time, I was ready for something different.
Then in 1996 I traveled to the United States and a friend introduced me to some of the staff at the Global Volunteers office. I learned about what this organization does and wondered if we could work out a partnership. We continued to communicate and eventually I asked if Global Volunteers would consider going to Ghana. So Bud Philbrook visited my country and thought we would be a good fit. Teams started coming to Ghana in 2000 and I worked as a translator and consultant. After some time, I was promoted to country manager and that is the position I hold today.
In my role, I make sure our volunteers are well taken care of and kept busy when they are in my country. It is a position I like and I'm so happy for the opportunity to have met so many people from all across the globe. I really am happy to be the Ghana County Manager because I believe in the philosophy of Global Volunteers. I enjoy being with other people and sharing ideas along with being able to help my community.
When I'm not at work I really enjoy helping my wife at home, and at the small store she owns. We sit together and talk about all kinds of things. I also enjoy spending time with my kids. I like to read about other places. I'm happy for the opportunity to show people my country.
Please don't think of things you may have heard about Ghana that would make you not want to travel this far away. Think about the people that really need your support In return you will learn about them, and I am very sure that this exchange of ideas and cultures will impact your life as mush as you'll impact ours. That is what the volunteers tell me all the time.
