May 1, 2012
Africa is Calling: Four Professional British Women Return to Their Roots
ELVINA QUASION: Gap-Year Love Affair Leads to Relocation
Born and raised in London, Elvina Quaison decided to pack her bags and completed her move to Accra in 2011.
“I had reached a point in my life where I knew this was the right time for me to leave,†Quaison says.  “I had no ties so the only person who would be uprooted was me.â€
“The real motivating push came from a friend who wanted to relocate to Ghana. She was just about to, but she passed away suddenly. It was a wake-up call. I realized that you can’t keep putting things off until tomorrow,†Quaison adds.
After spotting a gap in the market for her interests and expertise, Quaison founded management consultancy Silk Solutions, a company assists clients seeking to establish enterprises in Ghana.
Formerly chair of the Ghana Black Stars Network, an organization connecting the diaspora, Quaison’s career sparked her interest in the investment opportunities in her homeland. Arriving in Accra required Quaison to fully embrace her new environment. “Being brought up in the West had a distinct impact on my mindset, cultural references and way of thinking,†Quaison says. “This is a challenge when moving to an environment that feels like home and you want to be home.â€
Positive experiences range from developing networks to gaining a better understanding of just how adaptable she can be. “The key professional benefits have been developing new skills and gaining insight into how different cultures do business,†Quaison says. “Personally I have attained goals that I would not have even imagined possible a year ago.â€