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TAE President, Dr. Daniel Kwame Acquaah addressed

delegates at Rwanda Day 2012 in Boston on September 22,

2012. Present was His Excellency President Paul Kagame and

the First Lady Mrs. Kagame; Hon. Louise Mushikiwabo,

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; Hon. John

Rwangombwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning,

and Rwandan Ambassador to the U.S. Hon. James Kimonyo.

In recognition and appreciation of the exquisite leadership of

His Excellency President Kagame, the California delegation,

led by Prof. Mathilde Mukantabana, President of Friends of

Rwanda (FORA); Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe, Director of Pan

African Studies at California State University-Sacramento;

and Dr. Kwame Acquaah, Chairman of the African Leadership Council, commended President Kagame.

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H. E. President Kagame greeting TAE President

Dr. Daniel Kwame Acquaah after Dr.

Acquaah’s presentation. Background: Prof.

Mukantabana and Dr. Mosupyoe.

TAE recently launched Sankofa

Environmental Awards Night (SEAN)

to celebrate individuals and

organizations who have made a

significant impact on environmental

issues around the world. A major

initiative of our organization is to

promote “green champions”, by

publicly recognizing those who strive

to improve our world through

preservation, reclamation and

conservation.

SEAN2013 is scheduled for

September 2013. This nomination-

based award will serve to highlight

the importance of improving our

environment by proactively

addressing the threats our

environment faces today. Working

with our partners, such as California

State University, Sacramento, and

many other organizations in the U.S.,

SEAN2013 will recognize ‘green

champions’ from any nation around

the world right here in Sacramento!

The theme for SEAN2013 is

“Celebrating environmental

visionaries in action”.

L a u n c h i n g S E A N 2 0 1 3

If a deliberate effort in made to invest in Africa, Presi-

dent Kagame’s call to action will yield some amazing

dividends!

Rwanda Day Boston 2012 was held at the Westin Cop-

ley Place in Boston. Several thousands were in attend-

ance for the two-day event ending September 22. The

day before was filled with economic activities, display

of Rwandan wares, and meetings with Rwandans and

Friends of Rwanda by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs

and Economic Planning, Continue on page 2

The 2012 Rwanda Day focused on encouraging

all to continue pushing forward, despite the

odds, to build our dreams and establish a path-

way to economic prosperity, not just in Rwanda

but in Africa as a whole.

TAE President had the opportunity to discuss

environmental policies and its relationship to

economic development with some of the dele-

gates. Dr. Acquaah stated that a sound environ-

mental policy is critical to a stable and long term

economic development in Africa. “As Rwanda

and by extension Africa looks to its economic

prospects, the establishment of ’green jobs’

should be in the fore front and not an after-

thought” says Dr. Acquaah.

Africans in the Diaspora are well positioned to

do more, and are a vital resource to Africa’s

future. Many Africans in the Diaspora send

money to relatives back home. Africans send

approximately $40 Billion a year to the Mother-

land. This does not include money sent through

friends and family going to Africa.

Dr. Kwame Acquaah (right), Prof Mathilde Mukatabana

(center), and Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe, presenting the Com-

mendation to President Paul Kagame.

2

Harinder Dhillon

916-607-0533

Bring the brain back!

Africa’s resources, both intellectual and raw materials, are ripe for

21st century economic success. Sadly, number of professional

talents that are in the Diaspora leave a gapping hole in the econom-

ic process back on the continent.

The International Organization of Migration (IOM) stipulates that

Africa has lost a third of its human capital and continues to loose

them in increasing proportions. According to the IOM, there are

currently well over 300,000 highly qualified Africans in the Dias-

pora, 30,000 of which have PhDs. More than double this amount

have at least one Masters degree, and many more with at least a

Bachelors degree. The 2010 U.S. Census revealed that Africans

have the highest proportion (based on group size) of highly educat-

ed persons among all groups in the United States. The second

most educated are the Asians.

Unless African leaders implement progressive economic policies,

that are appealing to its sons and daughters in the Diaspora, the

road to meaningful continental and regional economic developing

would be challenging.

During the question and answer session of the Rwanda Day Boston

2012, Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame assured the audience that

his government has established progressive economic policies,

intellectual freedom, and transparency that have enhanced

Rwanda’s ability to attract an increasing number of the ‘brain’

back home.

Until recently, governments in African have shown little interest in encour-

aging their skilled people in the Diaspora to engage in building the national

economy. Recognized by many international economic metrics, it is clear

that many African nations, including Ghana and Rwanda, are increasingly

demonstrating the political will to formally include the Diaspora in its de-

velopment efforts.

It is always an honor to return home with the experience obtained in the

West to help rebuild Africa. TAE’s President Dr. Kwame Acquaah is doing

just that! TAE’s Waste -to-Energy project in Ghana is a very important

initiative that aligns environmental policies with economic opportunities as

Ghana expands its productivity beyond the traditional raw material export

to the West to include serious manufacturing at home.

Manufacturing is a bedrock of economic freedom and more Africans must

be encouraged and supported to invest in expanding Africa’s capacity to

export ‘finished’ goods instead of raw materials. It is time for African gov-

ernments to entice the ’brain’ back home and reverse the Africa brain drain

problem. I believe Rwanda is setting a great example.

Working for you 100 percent!

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Looking for a small family oriented church in Sacramento?

Visit Lighthouse Chapel International, 3437 Myrtle Avenue, Ste 430 North Highlands, CA 95660

916-910-4628

Continued from page 1 Hon. Francios Kanimba, Minis-

ter of Commerce; Hon. James

Musoni, Minister of Local Gov-

ernment; Sen. Tito Rutaremara;

Hon. Ambassador to the UN

Eugene Gasana; Hon. Ambassa-

dor to Canada Edda Mukabag-

wiza; and Professor Shyaka Ana-

stase, CEO of Rwanda Govern-

ance Board.

Dr. Kwame Acquaah had a

unique opportunity of discussing

TAE’s environmental vision for

Africa with Professor Anastase.

It appears Rwanda, like many

other African nations, can bene-

fit from the WTE project.

Professor Shyaka Anastase addressing the

delegation on September 21.

(Left to right) Dr. Mosupyoe, Dr. Acquaah,

Hon. Rwangombwa, and Hon. Mushikiwabo

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TAE is a 501 (C)(3) non-profit

organization committed to im-

proving the environment

through the production of re-

useable energy, reduction of

waste related illnesses in devel-

oping countries, and helping

those countries to establish

sustainable economic develop-

ment.

All donations are tax deductible

to the extent allowed by U.S.

law.

Office:

Business Central

3550 Watt Avenue, Suite 206

Sacramento, CA 95821

Mailing:

9758 Horned Lark Way

Elk Grove, CA 95757

925-709-4823 (4TAE)

Visit us @

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Admin@taenvironmental.com

trans-atlantic

environmental,

inc

Ghanaian environment and hope to build that

through teaching kids to value and respect the

earth at an early age. She was in tune with

TAE’s objective of harnessing the waste in

Ghana into a productive resource and gladly

joined the ranks of TAE personnel.

Such important local partnership will not only

help in the mutual advancement of each

organization, but will also propel the goal of

achieving a cleaner and ‘green’ Ghana, faster.

Another dynamic organization leading the way

in innovative waste management education is

Mrs Juliana Arhin’s Life Bridge 68 that teaches

kids about waste management through their

“Kids Against Waste” (KAW) Initiative. This is

an annual national arts and crafts competition

that encourages kids to start thinking about

waste management at an early age. This is done

through the creative re-use of waste materials,

music and poetry. The theme for this year is

“giving new life to trash”, requires competitors

to identify waste which is common in their

communities, find out why that type of waste

is common and its effect on the environment.

Amazingly, this has become both a fun event

and a valuable educational experience for these

kids.

As part of TAE, ‘Kids Against Waste’ through

Juliana Arhin is creating a clean and sustainable

K i d s a g a i n s t w a s t e i n g h a n a

Re-energizing Africa,

One nation at a time.

Donate

To Donate, go to

www.taenvironmental.com/

donations.html

or call

925-709-4823

Ghana is made up of several ethnic group. The major ones

include Akans, Gas, and Ewes. The Akans form the largest

ethnic group in Ghana. They are mostly found in the southern

part of Ghana and they speak Akan (Twi and Fanti) just like the

other ethnic groups place much value on the names given to

children at birth. There are day names; order of birth names;

order of birth names for twins; successive loss of children

names; circumstantial names; courageous names; clan names

and sacred day names. Day names are the most popular and

most common and they are given to babies based on the day of

the week that they were born. In fact, everybody automatically

acquires a day-name in addition to whatever names the parents

will choose to bestow on him/her.

In the Akan tradition, the first day of the week is not Sunday,

but Saturday because according to Akan oral tradition that was

the day God was born. Thus, the name of God in the Akan

language is “OTWEDIAMPONG KWAME”. God created

the earth on Thursday, so it is called “ASASE YAA”. (“ASASE”

is the Akan word for “earth”). The following traditional names

are in Twi. We will share the Fanti version in our next edition.

Day Male Female

Saturday Kwame Ama

Sunday Kwasi Akosua

Monday Kwadjo Adjoa

Tuesday Kwabena Abena

Wednesday Kwaku Akua

Thursday Yaw Yaa

Friday Kofi Efia

Now go ahead and figure out what your Akan (Twi) name is

based on the day you were born.

We would love to hear from you! Please send us an email at

admin@taenvironmental.com and tell us what your

Akan name is! Happy Christening!!! Put ‘Happy Christening’

in the subject line.

Well, the naming structure is not just that simple because

there is more to it. After the day of birth, there is also your

ranking within the family structure. That portion of the

naming structure separates you from the next person in your

family who happens to be born on the same day as you. And

oh...there is more! Stay tuned for more on the Akan naming

system in the October edition of Sankofa Lite!

wHAT dO yOU kNOW aBOUT gHANA…?

Offering you the best African produce right here in

Sacramento/Elk Grove!

Come and check us out!

Mrs. Juliana Arhin, TAE Operations Director (Ghana), Director

of KAW, & Founder of Life’s Bridge 68

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trans-atlantic environmental, inc

Sankofa Lite is a monthly publication of Trans-Atlantic Environmental, Inc. (TAE). TAE is

a 501 (c )( 3) Non-Profit organization in Sacramento, California. Your donations are vital to

our operations and we appreciate your support and partnership in our efforts to contribute to

a better world.

Please take a moment and visit our website at www.taenvironmental.com to make a dona-

tion.

To Donate, go to

www.taenvironmental.com/

donations.html

or call

925-709-4823