On Tuesday, Oct. 20, nonprofit organization African Health Now (AHN) will host its inaugural Gift of Life Cocktail Benefit to raise awareness for the organization’s mission to promote and provide information and primary healthcare accessibility to women, children, and families living across sub-Saharan Africa.
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This benefit will be held at Chelsea Piers’ Sunset Terrace in New York City and will aid in contributing to the AHN cause while honoring diverse professionals for their philanthropic commitments to the African community.
BlackEnterprise.com had a chance to chat with the founder and president of African Health Now, Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo, about the organization’s first benefit and raising the organization’s profile.
BlackEnterprise.com: What exactly is African Health Now and why is it important?
Eyeson-Akiwowo: I launched African Health Now, initially, as a one off initiative where I wanted to give back to a community that had given me so much during a time when I had needed help with my father. He had a heart attack in 2006 while I was at work here in the states. I realized that certain things like the signs of having a heart attack, or what it means to be diabetic, or what you should look for and how to be careful–these types of basic informational needs were not being shared with the population that was most vulnerable and needed it the most.
Now the organization focuses primarily on providing information and primary healthcare accessibility to women and children and families across the continent–with a geographical focus in Ghana. We provide free health fairs that allow people who have little to no access to direct contact [with doctors], or who can’t afford to go to a doctor, to say, ‘I just want to know what my blood pressure is.’
We do dental screenings, we talk to women about self-breast examinations—how to give yourself one, what is it you’re looking for and, if you find it, what that conversation then becomes. Within African culture, breast cancer and things of that nature are things we just don’t talk about. We educate in an effort to try to change that narrative, to change the story, and change how people understand and deal with certain issues. That’s the importance of AHN.
What would be the ultimate accomplishment for your organization?
I think it ties back into when do you stop? The “when would we stop†point is when we change the way healthcare is provided to Africans across the continent; when the average person can go to any clinic and feel confident in the services they’re getting and in the way they dialogue with their medical practitioner.
World Health has said that by the year 2030, non-communicable diseases–hypertension, diabetes, and various cancers–will be the No. 1 killer of Africans. If we could combat that, that would be the end for us because that’s the story that’s not being told.
African Health Now is hosting its first Gift of Life Cocktail Benefit. Can you tell the BE.com audience about the benefit and what it’s looking to accomplish?
We’re hosting the Gift of Life benefit to raise money for our ongoing program and to service key funding for the launch and deployment of our first-ever mobile health unit. One of the initiatives that we have as an organization is that we want to send a mobile health unit that has the capacity to provide primary healthcare to people in rural areas. Â We’ve been doing health fairs in the city. As we branch out into more northern areas and more rural areas, a mobile van would be a lot more beneficial for us, and it will also serve to provide follow-up care to the people we serve and the people we continue to service. Â We’re looking to deploy the unit in 2018.
How did you go about selecting the Gift of Life Cocktail Benefit Honorees?
The key to someone becoming an honoree was what they are really doing, professionally or personally, in terms of changing the narrative in Ghana–or on the continent.
Wangechi Mutu, who is receiving the humanitarian award, is a renowned Kenyan artist and activist
who recently launched an initiative called Africa’s Out. The sole purpose of Africa’s Out is to change the narrative, to change how we see and talk about the continent from the continent’s perspective. She wants to change the story and the way people see the story, whether it is about art, health, culture, the LGBT community, the whole thing.Bozoma Saint John is a bad-ass in the marketing and advertising world. She is receiving the leadership award. She does a lot of mentoring work with various organizations that are specifically targeting and mentoring young women on how they, too, can climb the corporate ladder, and how they can become their own versions of bad-ass.
Dr. Samuel F. Quartey is an international podiatric surgeon who does a lot of work back home in Ghana. He’s receiving the Health Advocate Reward. He and his family do a lot to give back immensely to the community.
What can attendees expect at the Gift of Life Cocktail Benefit?
D-Nice is DJing so attendees can expect to have a good time. They can also expect to learn about our mission and the work that we do. Brown Butter New York is sponsoring us and their food is amazing. Open Bar Hospitality is also a sponsor. They have supported AHN since 2007. It’s going to be a really fun, beautiful night of mingling, celebrating three dynamic honorees, fundraising for our program, and celebrating AHN and the work we’ve been able to do while understanding how much further we have to go and how people can help us get there.
How can someone attend the event?
Anybody can attend the event. Tickets are available online at africanhealthnow.org/event. General admission is $150. We still have sponsorship opportunities available for any corporations or individuals that want to sponsor on a higher level.
How can BlackEnterprise.com readers help to support African Health Now?
There are various ways to help support. We’re always looking for new volunteers—volunteers that can go with us to Ghana, medical volunteers or non-medical volunteers that want to volunteer their time in Ghana, and volunteers on a skill-based level, whether it be marketing and branding or grant writing. We also accept donations throughout the year that can be made directly to our site. We’re always looking for corporate partners to help us in terms of our supplies. You can even do a supply jar for African Health Now. There are various ways to support the organization.
For more information about African Health Now, or to volunteer your time, attend the Gift of Life Cocktail Benefit, or make a donation, be sure to visit http://africanhealthnow.org/. There is still an opportunity to purchase a ticket for the benefit, Tuesday, Oct. 20, Chelsea Piers’ Terrace, New York City.