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Francis Kwame Agbemafle

2/18/2019

 
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Francis Kwame Agbemafle
info@vimaonline.org 

Francis Kwame Agbemafle is the founder and Executive Director of the VIMA organisation. He is also a graduate licensed nurse by profession. 

He holds an Associate degree in nursing from Albany State College, prior to this; he studied Electrical & Electronics Engineering at the Kumasi Polytechnic University in Kumasi, West Africa Ghana. He has also received Certification in Computer Hardware & Software Programming at the African Virtual University in Ghana. 

Highlights of his engineering career includes the design and implementation of a fee based, pop3 web access e-mail system to the entire university student body at KNUST, a project he designed and managed on daily bases, the first of its kind within a tertiary institution in Sub-Saharan Africa at that time to replace Telex and fax as the main mode of communication with the outside world. This project was so successful it was extended to the University of Ghana, Legon on pilot bases.

Between 1997 and 2000, he worked as a technical coordinator attached to the AVU-Project office, a World Bank funded project to deliver eLearning (ODeL) resources and education content from the West, relevant to the African continent. His office was also very instrumental during the Y2K awareness project, popularly dubbed the “Millennium Bug” through which he organized seminars and training workshops for local IT managers to adequately prepare them for any eventuality. Some of the institutions that benefited from such seminars included Obuasi Goldfields Ltd, Guinness Ghana Ltd, Various banks in the Kumasi sub metropolis, The Institute of Natural Resources, and Heads of various educational institutions etc.

Mr. Agbemafle has many years of experience volunteering, especially at the grassroots level, where he believes help is in calamitous need. His first charity work was as a technical facilitator to the American Peace Corp mission in Northern Ghana in the late 90s, and was touched to see Americans and other foreign nationals willingness to travel to Africa, out of their comfort zone to work in deprived rural communities, where there was no electricity, Internet, running water or access to efficient transportation, this experience helped shaped his views and made him decide to give back as well. 

Losing his dad at an early of six was like losing all hope. Francis was raised in an extremely poor environment, in a small village in the Volta region of Ghana by his mother. He watched his mother struggle daily to provide food, and as such he always had a heart for the orphaned, solo mothers and abandoned children. Watching his widowed mother working 7-days a weeks to provide for him and his five other siblings made him resolved, that “Someday, he will like to work for the poor and the orphaned”

Under his leadership, VIMA is supporting three orphanages in rural Ghana, In addition, the organization also runs two of its own home, VIMA Children Home in a highly deprived areas of south-western Volta to help cater for many needy kids in those areas. The VIMA Children home encompasses a model that integrates the orphanage into the community instead of the typical institutionalize orphanage model, where kids are housed in enclosed walls, isolated from the community, a sad situation that almost makes a visit to such places seem more like visiting a detention center. Abuses are also common in such institutionalized orphanages since there is no oversight. We believe our model is the best way for the children to feel the love of the community and also acquire skills necessary to identify themselves with their culture, because cultural values are a very essential part of the African child. We hope you can partner with VIMA in promoting our community based child development model because all children, no matter their origin or circumstances, are worth every ounce of effort it takes to help them overcome the pain and memories of their early sufferings. They all deserve a warm, loving, and nurturing environment to call home and that is why we call ours VIMA Children's Home and not an orphanage. 

As a child growing up without shoes, Francis remembered how he got his first pair of donated shoes from a German Presbyterian Missionary visiting his village at the age of 7 and kept those shoes for as long as he could, and when the shoes could not fit him any longer, he devised a plan to keep them for a bit longer by cutting a hole so his big toe could stick out. He talks about how those shoes brought him self-dignity, esteem and a reason to go to school each day thereby improving his attendance. Today, Francis is on a mission to pay it forward and also speak to the youth about the importance of education. He is working hard to bring hope to kids in remote villages across Ghana and other parts of Africa and he has been very successful at doing so with the help of donations from individuals, sympathizers, faith-based institutions, charitable organizations and hospitals. To date, VIMA has donated approximately 15,000 pairs of shoes, 40,000 pairs of clothing to orphans in rural Ghana, the organization has also donated medical supplies to rural clinics, the equivalence of a 40 footer container, renovated classroom blocks and built bathrooms for schools and much more. He stated, the smiles on the faces of beneficiary village kids receiving their first shoes, clothes, books and educational materials is all he needs to keep doing his work.   The Pinnacle of a busy working day for Francis includes reading letters of gratitude from the children VIMA helps. In his own words, “It reminds me of my own childhood and it makes it all worthwhile.” 

Mr. Agbemafle is fully committed to the Organization’s mission and Objectives, he hopes to foster both local and international partnerships to help make a difference, and it is therefore our hope that you’ll join hands with us through donating, volunteering and partnering with VIMA in order for the organization to reach out to more villages and communities.

Faustina Atta

2/15/2019

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Mrs. Faustina Atta has been a Registered Nurse for 28 years. Before moving to the United States, she completed her nursing training in Ghana and then practiced for 14 years. Her nursing experience includes, but is not limited to Medical Surgical, Maternity (as a Midwife Nurse), Recovery Ward, and Critical Care Nursing at Ho district and regional hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana. She then worked at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra where she worked at the Accident Center and Intensive Care Unit in Ghana.
In the United States, Faustina worked at the San Mateo Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit in San Mateo California, the Cardiac Telemetry Dept at  Duke University Health System in Durham, North Carolina, and she is now working for the Dignity Health System at Santa Maria Regional Medical Center.
In her own words, “My passion has always been to take care of people in their time of need. It has always been my desire to help my people back in Ghana, especially the people of my hometown Amedzofe and Kete-Krachi, my husband’s hometown.” She has also done some benevolent projects like taking care of the children of poor families. Currently, she is taking care of six people--one who has completed high school and moved out.
Faustina is a trailblazer and a passionate advocate for the poor, struggling women, and the orphaned; therefore, after a short conversation with the founder of VIMA, Mr. Francis Agbemafle, it was an easy decision for her to join our VIMA team. Faustina is married with three children living in Grover Beach, California. She will be a board member responsible for promoting development in the seven villages that constitute the Avatime Townships under the ADI Initiative Project. We have no doubt about the energy she brings to the VIMA board, and we wish her and her family well.

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Gifty Nkansah

2/15/2019

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Gifty Nkansah has been a Registered Nurse for almost 10 years and is a graduate of The University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho. She has worked in the diabetic clinic for 8 years in both patient care and education management. She has experience in medical and surgical nursing, pediatric, home nursing, obstetrics and gynecological nursing. In her own words, “Working with diabetics at the clinic has given me the joy of assisting patients to recover successfully from their ailments--also providing the education necessary to empower themselves to overcome the challenges associated with diabetes.”  Gifty is passionate about the work she does and is currently the head of the Diabetic Clinic at Ho Municipal Hospital. She serves as the Coordinator of VIMA’s Rural Health Outreach (RHO) program--which aims to identify and assist deprived orphaned children. RHO also works with the local VIMA team to identify, verify, and qualify patients for  RHO intervention program. We are thankful for the vital role she has with VIMA and very grateful for her dedication to helping and educating the poor and the needy

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Joanne Sturgeon

2/14/2019

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Joanne is the NMI  President For the Sacramento district of the Church of the Nazarene. She is also a professional piano lessons teacher and she loves teaching kids at her church in susanville. 
She is a pastor’ wife, a mother and a grandmother to many kids. 
Joanne was very involved in the early years of VIMA’s transformation and helped organize the clothes and shoes drive that enable VIMA to send these items on a large scale in 2013 and continue to do so. She has volunteered extensively to so many countries and she is full of energy for God’s. 
The founder of the VIMA organization refers to Joanne simply as momjo, his American mother. 
She serves as a Senior Policy Adviser to the VIMA’s missions gospel outreach program
We are lucky to have her as part of our team and we wish her and her family well.

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Veronica Howard

11/23/2015

 
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Veronica Howard
Coordinator of Partnerships, Learning and Advocacy
veronicahoward@vimaonline.org 

Veronica Howard has held a variety of professional and volunteer positions focusing on community development. She has travelled extensively in the West African sub-region and also Europe, She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, West Africa, from 1996-1998.  She’s an alum of the National African American Women’s Leadership Institute. Veronica received her bachelor's degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport. She also received her Master of Science degree in Applied Community and Economic Development. Veronica rich experience in the area of community development is essential to VIMAs efforts of improving women and children healthcare access and empowerment initiative, she can be reached onveronicahoward@vimaonline.org.

Denise Joyce

11/23/2015

 
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Denise Joyce, MA, JD, RN
Grants, Media and Legal Issues
denisejoycernjd@vimaonline.org

Denise is a multi-specialty nurse with over 30 years experience in the Healthcare system and has been licensed continuously as a Registered Nurse in California. Much of her professional experience has been spent designing and delivering positive system changes through the functions of Quality, Clinical Risk Management and Compliance. The other foci have been spent in the clinical area of Psychiatry and Psychology.
 
VIMA is blessed to have Denise as part of our innovative team, her expertise are much needed as we implement our global healthcare outreach program. Her life’s work speaks of excellence, dedication, measurable results, and collegial relationships in both the short and long term. She has effected measurable improvements in the quality of care in every organization in which she has worked and for that we look forward to working with her in the years ahead.

Stacey Maria Taylor

11/23/2015

 
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Stacey Maria Taylor
Financial Officer
smtaylor17@vimaonline.org
​Stacey traveled to Ghana and volunteered at the VIMA Home in 2012 for two weeks. Upon return, she realized the  need to help due to the level of poverty she saw. Stacey however stated the, in spite of the scarcity of resources, the people of the Volta Region Ghana are some of the most happiest people on earth, they seem content and their hospitality is great.
Stacey is a volunteer accountant with the VIMA organization and also assist the Director in setting up accounts for VIMA's child sponsorship program.
Stacey is a valuable team player and we are extremely glad to have her on our team.

Deborah Branham

11/23/2015

 
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Deborah Branham, RN, BSN, MA Ed 
Policy Implementation Advisor
debtanz@vimaonline.org

Deborah is a retired Public Health Nurse from Georgia, where her primary nursing experience has been in the area of community and public health nursing. Her nursing career began in February; 1984. She has also worked in the hospital setting and rehab for some years prior.

Deborah Branham is a product of New York City Technical College where she attained her BS nursing education, certified in Community Health/ Health counseling from the St. Joseph’s College. She is also a graduate of the Central Michigan University where she obtain Masters in Adult Education
She is presently an online instructor for Health Care Administration at the University of Phoenix from Dec. 2007 till present.

Her international experiences, especially in Africa, have afforded her the opportunity to engage in healthcare looking at the contrasts and comparisons of health care delivery systems throughout east and West Africa.

One of her international Highlights includes attending the Rwanda Genocide hearings in 2000 at the International Tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania.

Deborah is a valuable addition to the VIMA team, prior to joining VIMA, she Volunteered for World Relief Refugee Organization from 1994-2006, she also Volunteered for Cross Cultural Solutions on a mission to Ghana from 2005 to 2006 and was the founder and CEO for a non- profit Africa Viva Inc.

We are very privileged to have Deborah Branham as part of VIMAs team and we wish her well in all that she does both at local and international level. Contact Deborah on dbranham@vimaonline.org.

Eben Amematekpor

9/1/2015

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Eben Amematekpor
Country Coordinator
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If you ever visited Ghana as a volunteer, chances are you've met Eben right from the day of your arrival in Ghana till the day you left.  Eben coordinates all of our activities in-country. Our outreach goes beyond caring for orphans. We also helps build urinals through solicitation of funds, donates shoes, clothes and basic medical supplies. Eben helps screen our aid applicants. In exception of our teaching staff, most of our staff is volunteer based and they need to be commended for their contribution towards the development of the Volta Region. Eben is a teacher by profession and his dedication to the VIMA mission is greatly valued
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​Enoch Amedzro

9/1/2015

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​Enoch Amedzro
VIMA Administrator/Donations Coordinator 
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Enoch plays a vital role in the running of the VIMA School Complex and also coordinates our donations to rural clinics and birth centers that we assist. He reports directly to Rev. Cephas on the daily running of affairs and also liaise between the USA Head office. 
We thank Enoch for his devotion to serve his people and the community at large and wish him well.

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Emmanuel Ali

9/1/2015

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Emmanuel Ali
Vima Penpal Project Coordinator 

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Evelyn Yaba- Field Catering Services

8/1/2015

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Chris Webu

9/1/2014

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Chris Webu
Special Projects Coordinator 
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Volunteers for International Medical Aid

2600 Park Meadows Dr, Unit B107, Bakersfields, CA, 93308. Tel: +1-404-886-3638, Tax Exempt ID No: 30-0747116
​OUR MISSION:
Fight poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), through medical missions, collecting used clothes & shoes, medical supplies, then distributes these items free of charge to orphanages, the needy and the under-served in remote areas far beyond the reach of large-scale charities.
OUR VISION:
Create and maintain lasting partnerships, both local and international, through which we can empower the poor, educate rural communities on sustainable health issues and encourage productive livelihoods  through self problem solving and seizing opportunities.

Helping Children in Africa

The story of VIMA

A 7 year old orphan boy in Ghana, Africa was given his first ever pair of shoes. These shoes allowed him to make the long walk to school. Beyond an education which was sponsored by a German missionary visiting his village, his shoes gave him confidence and hope. Those shoes lead him into a job which took him to America. Now through VIMA he gives shoes, clothing, medical supplies, confidence and hope to the children in Ghana and beyond.

1-530-661-8040

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We partner with local and international entities to fight the cycle of poverty on the African continent.

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