THE PLAN AND HOW IT DEVELOPED

We will be working in Africa with Stephen and Debi McGary, the Golden Sunbeam School system, Stephen Abu, our associate in Ghana, BYU Idaho interns and the local church authorities to determine needs, desires and possibilities.  Projects have been undertaken by BYU Idaho interns in the Research and Business Development Center (RBDC) in which Bob has been heavily involved for the past 8 years.  One of the goals is to hire interns in Ghana, some of whom have been educated through BYU Idaho's Pathway Program and have matriculated into on-line degrees, then to create a relationship with BYU I interns through technology to provide training and assistance to both the Ghanian interns and the businesses they are serving.(We had to discontinue this goal.  BYU Idaho administrators did not feel comfortable having a separate center in Africa.  Any services provided to Africa will be through the already established Idaho E-Center)

Stephen McGary has served as the Dean of the Agricultural College at BYU Idaho.  He and his wife have taken a sabbatical this semester to follow through on projects and studies that have been done at the university concerning the raising of soybeans and production of soy milk products.

Through donations a "soy cow" (machine that makes soy milk products from soybeans) has been purchased and shipped to Ghana.  Steve is there now helping to train students and faculty at the school and the results have been very encouraging.The goal is to help the school become self-sustaining while teaching agricultural and business skill.

The students will be heavily involved, learning agriculture, production, packaging, marketing, etc., skills which can transfer to businesses of their own in the future.  We found there were few "hands on" programs for many of the schools in the country.  The hope is that this program can become a "pilot" program to create a pattern for this "hands on" learning assisted by BYU Idaho

In addition, 36 businesses have been identified by the local church authorities which are promising and with some help could grow and provide more employment opportunities.

Bob will identify where they can use some help, hire and train 2 or 3 local interns in research skills and consult with these businesses.  Students at BYU Idaho will help with the training and work together with the Ghanaian interns to help them accomplish their directives. (Plans to establish interns in Africa were discontinued, any projects will be handled by the Idaho E-Center.)

One of the challenges in Ghana and throughout West Africa is that the students now have more opportunity to be educated but then jobs are not available to them once they are trained.  One of the answers to this concern is to teach entrepreneurial skills

Unfortunately, Debi McGary was not able to meet us in New York to go to Africa.  She discovered a health problem which will need surgery.  Her husband, Stephen, returned to the U.S. the day after we arrived but is continuing to work closely with the project.