I CELEBRATE NANA KOFI ACQUAH

There is always that one person who stands out in a park. Day in day out our country Ghana is blessed with gifted folks from all walks of life as well as their chosen trade for either their livelihood or for the pleasure of it.

I met him at one of Blogging Ghana's premium event, #Blogcamp Ghana after a few interactions online. I had always closely followed his works and admired it. With my little passion for arts and photography, he came in handy and very resourceful after the few minutes chat were had after his break-out session during the event.

I even went ahead to tell him about a plan I had in mind, and he was thrilled and encouraged me to pursue it if I wanted to do that. Within minutes he had suggested a few things that i should look at and then assured me of his doors being open anytime I needed his input. One thing he said under that session for which I remember a lot till this day : "If you want me to shoot your wedding then be ready to pay me a $1000 for each photograph". This was to confirm his decision not to do wedding shoots.

The years went by and I realised most of his works were drifted towards Development Photography. With his poetry background, the grammar that went with the photographs that he posted ( and still does) on all his platforms, were worth reading and taking a look at the photos. I remember being a part of a twitter chat initiated by The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) where himself and other talented photographers moderated on Development Photography (#DEVPIX) and the messages photos posted sold. Such great insight and valuable information shared by him till this day, I documented.

I am sure for those of you that know him, are very familiar to his works and accolades so i won't bug you much. This post is to actually celebrate him. And what are we celebrating?

Last week he was honoured to become the first recipient of the World Press Photo and  Tim Hetherington Fellowship Award. This is no doubt a big feat in his chosen career and as a Ghanaian, I feel so proud. Congratulations no doubt are in order and a big salute from me to this wonderful personality is being sent to him via this blog post.

In his response to the honour, this is what he had to say ;

"I hope that my work can help create the Africa that Tim worked so hard and died for, and the World Press Photo envisions.

In my short life, I have been helped and favoured by so many people over the years and all over the world; and I cannot say Thank You enough".

 Prior to this honour, he had had one of his photos featured in a book chronicling 10 historic moments showed to the Pope.

Do you know, Nana Kofi is also a self-declared male feminist and he has stated that he is driven to change the narrative around African women where they are sometimes portrayed as vulnerable and subdued.

He has been featured on BBC and Reuters in his capacity as an African Male Feminist and on CNN’s African Voices for attempting to redefine the perceptions on Africa through his photographs and writings.

Why won't I celebrate such a person.

Get to know him more and his works;

NANA KOFI ACQUAH'S BLOG

NANA KOFI ACQUAH'S INSTAGRAM

 NANA KOFI ACQUAH'S TUMBLR

GRAMEEN FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Grameen Foundation Fellows make their mark in the fight against poverty, while broadening their professional horizons and gaining invaluable hand-on experience in international development. This is a unique opportunity for professionals from a wide range of industries, from management consulting and business to data analysis to healthcare and agriculture, to gain substantial experience leading the development and implementation of projects serving the poor, working with some of the brightest minds in social innovation.

Grameen Foundation Fellowships are competitive, year long, field-based positions. Each field placement is individually tailored to match your skills and interests with the needs of Grameen Foundation and its partners around the world. All Fellows receive living stipends, group orientation, and ongoing professional development support. 

Required Skills, Attributes and Abilities:

  v  Deep commitment to eradication of poverty and alignment with Grameen Foundation’s mission.

  v  Most placements will be with Grameen Foundation teams, we look for expertise in the areas of financial services, health, agriculture, mobile technology, and social entrepreneurship.

  

  v  Exposure to low bandwidth environments and developing countries helpful

  v  Ability to manage multiple priorities

  v  Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability while working in a  dynamic environment

  v  Great sense of humor and comfort with a range of personalities

Education and Experience:

There are no education or experience requirements for the Grameen Foundation Fellowship. However, strong candidates often have professional experience in strategy or management consulting, financial services, health, or agriculture and/or have worked in global business or in startup-like environments.

Physical and Environmental Conditions:

Fellowship placements will likely be in Africa (particularly Uganda and Ghana), Latin America (particularly Colombia and Nicaragua), Asia (particularly India and the Philippines), and the Middle East. 

This position does not require unusual demands for physical effort.  This position may occasionally require physical effort to lift and transport boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds. Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting or training rooms, residences, or commercial vehicles; e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations and traffic signals.

Additional Comments:

The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

How to Apply:

Please visit the Grameen Foundation Fellowship Website for more information on the program or to apply for a Fellowship.