I’ve been on the board for five years. I first became aware of African Road when friends, Joyce and Rich invited me to a dinner party at their house after Rich had returned from an African Road Learning Trip to Rwanda and Burundi. I had known Rich from years ago when he was a Metro Councillor and I was the CFO in charge of a contract with the Metro regional government.
I retired in 2009 and was ready to look for a non-profit that would excite me. After years of civil rights work and working with poor and marginalized families, I was looking for an organization that was doing good collaborative work with marginalized communities. I hadn’t really thought about something outside the US, but after that dinner party I fell in love with African Road.
It is ingrained in my soul that I want to work with people who are making a life-changing difference for others, by listening to what the people themselves believed needed to happen. African Road to me is the essence of that concept. I started volunteering, went on a Learning Trip to Rwanda and Burundi (life changing) and found that my professional skills of being a CFO, COO and CEO over 45 years fit well into assisting African Road to develop a sound organizational structure, that would help them grow, and continue doing their good work. They asked me to join the board in 2015.
What do you love about the work of Africa Road?
There is honesty and integrity in every partnership with those we work with. African Road listens, helps develop plans, assists in securing resources, provides wise counsel in implementing the plans, and celebrates with partners/communities in their successes.
What are your words to the African Road community going forward?
Continue being the quality support system based upon strong relationships and collaboration. Don’t grow too fast.
What’s your proudest AR moment?
The successful completion of the first village’s Burundi Batwa ID program. Civil rights are so important to any kind of opportunity or means of betterment. Without an ID card the Batwa could not even begin to participate in any part of society or social recognition. I hope to continue to be a significant player in the Batwa ID projects.
What are you most looking forward to in the next few months (apart from leaving the house)?!
I was looking forward to spending time in France painting and traveling around the world, which unfortunately isn’t possible now. So instead, I’m painting at home, reading a lot, trying to have a meaningful role in my grandson’s life, ensuring my 93 years-young mother is safe and healthy, and being kind to myself until things with Covid-19 are better. Once the world is a safer place, I will be traveling a lot and continue my life-long learning of different cultures, history and beliefs. I am a sponge for history, ideas, beliefs, cultures and unquenchable in my questions of “why do you do/think/believe that? The question is always, “Please tell me your story”.
On behalf of the whole African Road community, thank you Carol!