Rotary & ending Polio

September has always been a fascinating month in my personal life as it represents the four weeks when I celebrate the birthdays of my loved ones the most! Birth dates of my grandfather to both my parents: mom, dad; my young sister, and loved ones, the list keeps growing… September turns out to be a great month for me to keep giving, so here goes:

source: www.rotary.org

At the community level, an organization I am deeply passionate about (spending the better part of the last decade volunteering with), Rotary is seeking the complete eradication of a disabling and life-threatening disease, polio. Ahead of World Polio Day, I have volunteered with the District 9400 Polio Plus Committee and the Rotary Club of Johannesburg to amplify the work that Rotarians on the African continent are doing to end the disease through various forms of vaccinations.

source: www.endpolio.org

In development work, building empathy is an incredibly challenging task. With the global drive to find a vaccine for COVID19, however, we find some common ground in fighting misinformation, appreciate advances in medical innovation, and drive the welfare for our and future generations with impactful next steps. We all can better imagine and empathize with dilapidating disease and the urgent need for collective action on preventable yet dangerous diseases. Polio Plus and the initial fight on infectious diseases such as Ebola helped with interventions such as contact-tracing and emergency responses in many a region in my Africa. There is more to be done, still.

source: www.endpolio.org

My asks are for you to join us for Zumba to have fun with some of the most empathetically kind and fun people I know and yes, raising funds for the cause in permanently keeping polio eradicated. #KeepPolioZero

Lastly, if you know of survivors who would like to share their stories with us, I shall be hosting Zoom interviews to help create awareness on behalf of our Rotary district campaign.

source: facebook.com/EndPolio RC JHB

Be well, be safe, be loved.

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p.s.s. Recipe on Finance: Register for my conversation with Flutterwave’s Olugbenga GB Agboola and Payfast’s Jonathan Smit with our friends and collaborating partners at Heavy Chef. Tickets here. Note: Business owners get 60% off, use the promo code DATAPROMO. Students get 100% off, use the promo code DATAFREE.

p.s.s.s update I was reminded to share my history with Rotary, over a decade of active membership as a Rotaractor with Rotaract Club of Adentan, Rotarian as a member of Accra Ring-Road Central, and Africa’s first club, Rotary Club of Johannesburg.

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on September 17, 2021.

Ever since I can remember, my mother has been holding parties for children during Christmas holidays. The work, effort and selflessness usually ate into our own Christmas holidays and plans. But the joy on the faces of the children, and my mother's, always made it well worth it. She got the practice from her father.

Giving back in some way shape of form was inculcated in us by our family at an early age. In high school, I volunteered at a hospital for two years and met my godmother Kathryn Smith. In college I joined many a a volunteer organization including Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. and in Ghana I was thirsty to keep that balance - productivity coupled with impact as part of my routine.

I started with Rotaract see earlier posts here and here.  And created the habit of going outside my comfort zone for outreach programs, cervical cancer awareness drives and general doing-good in my community.

On February 24th, at my induction I was supported by my Rotaract Club of Adentan family and close friends. As I re-affirmed my commitment to "Service Above Self" #GamorLegacy

Our snazzy induction class flyer!

Moments before being officially announced as a member of the Rotary Club of Accra - Ring Road Central

President Franklin Attah of Rotary Club of Accra - Ring Road Central & Emmanuel Gamor

Fellow Rotarian Lamisi and my Rotary mentor Dr. Dennis Addo (right)

Table of Men Rotarians at the Rotary Club of Accra - Ring Road Central

Holding up my certificate of membership: Rotarian Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor - Rotary Club of Accra - Ring Road Central

Friends and members of the Rotaract Club of Adentan 

My induction mentor & one of the oldest Rotarians PAG Abbi Dodo

Feb 24th felt like swearing-in ceremony: "Service Above Self"

Fellow Rotary inductees: Billy & Sheba & Emmanuel Gamor

All these pictures were taken kind courtesy of fellow Shaper, mentor and awesome friend +Yawa Hansen-Quao #WeAreOne

I have been moonlighting as the online engagement lead for the Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening campaign drive by the Rotaract Club of Adentan. The main aim of the drive is to get as many young women (usually in early 20 somethings to 45, who are sexually active) screened and to create general awareness about cervical cancer.

Photo credit: Walter Ekoue Adamah

An innovative idea we had was to get as many Rotary & Rotaract members as engaged fund-raisers for the cause so they update their Facebook & Whatsapp profiles accordingly. For each target amount of money raised,  each participant becomes a Captain, Champion or Ambassador. In the first month we've been able to  6,500 + Cedis from this campaign. It is truly amazing what innovation coupled with a good cause can achieve.

50 ghs + donation or money raised 

200+ ghs donated or raised

500+ ghs donated or raised

Kudos to the committee & team that continues to drive this initiative on through December! +Efua Armstrong, +Nii Aryee Otoo, Michael Dzreh, Stephanie Owusu Darku, #RaiseASkirt #CervicalCancer

A big shout out to +Nii Aryee Otoo for taking the pictures with my camera #teamworkdreamwork. More posts on my Rotary/Rotaract experience here.

*Head bowed* this is the first time I had stayed over in the Volta region, like ever. I feel as if I finally earned a few more Ewe street cred this year. Now there more of a balance to my Fante-Ewe man combo but I'd leave that for another conversation....

During Easter weekend I spent the holidays in Ho, Volta Region with fellow Rotaracters & Rotarians at the District Assembly Convention. It was an amazing time, a reprieve from the congested, seemingly more and more polluted Accra and general work stress. Plus, if you've read my earlier posts, volunteering recharges me and helps keep me grounded.

Armed only with my iPhone, I know +Samuel Darko  would have rather I came with full, video/photo gear, I took a few pictures of my #DAC2014 experience.

Registered & read at Chances Hotel, Ho

Strong, well represented Benin delegation

Niger was in the House

+Samuel Darko personally oversaw the design, I remember giving my thumbs up months ago to the prototype 

One of the days, I went on a expedition with a fellow Rotaractor for Akple....and other Ewe delicacies.

The awards night was the climax of the #DAC2014 conference. Learn. Serve

Of the many hats I wear, the most important one to me is interacting with young people and sharing our collective challenges and triumphs together. I was blessed to have "adult" conversations with my father at a very young age and my fondest memories of us are the lessons I learnt by spending time with him.
Sesamu Otinibi was a project with the Global Shapers Accra Hub and the Rotaract Club of Adentan's newly commissioned library at the Otinibi Basic School. The entire project was an opportunity to spend a school day (Wednesday March 19th) getting to know and imparting knowledge with the JSS students. It was really rewarding to see the volunteers and mentors at ease with teaching/sharing/admonishing/encouraging the students.

Big thanks you's to Aquatork mineral water, Enda Restaurant, Mpwr Show on Y 107.9 FM Golden Baobab for refreshment, media and resource sponsorships respectively. They responded when many others did not.

Esi asking the dreams and aspirations of the students

Favorite book: Computer Science

Library session

Presentation to the JSS 3 students

JSS 2 Students

JSS 1 Students

Mentors & Volunteers

Even more pictures:

My name is Emmanuel aka E-man aka E.A. aka Gamor and I'm admitting that I'm a workaholic. I enjoy being gainfully productive and with that, also comes a lot of stress. One of the healthy ways I've found to recharge my productive batteries is to interact meaningfully with kids. Last month, I gleefully (yes, I'm always a big kid at heart) hang out: danced, laughed, ate with the kids at Otinibi Basic school during the library commission. A big shout-out to the team that worked on getting donations for the library over the past couple of years and to my Rotaract Club that sets the bar decently high for young Ghanaian professionals to give back, regularly.

A positive habit I picked up in college was to channel negative circumstances to positive, do-good energy and this year I made a conscious effort to participate in Rotary/Rotaract activities: Fellowship through Service.
My Presec schoolmate, Samuel Darko invited me to visit the Rotaract Club of Adentan, he previously presided over, to work on a "Blood Drive" earlier this year; and I stayed around long enough to be end up getting inducted. Adding on to my positive, doing-good is a chance to travel to local and international clubs by performing Fellowship through Service starting with Catholic University College, Sunyani. My first time in Sunyani, an amazingly warm experience with fantastic people, take a look for yourself:

Saturday was an eventful day. After joining forces with Rotaract Club of Adentan & Blogging Ghana, I got to photograph my first blood-drive at the University of Ghana - Legon.

Pentagon Hall, Legon.

Donor card.

Biggest sport, gave blood with a smile!

Wikimedian people!

Blogging Ghana member gave blood!

At Accra Mall

Nat Health Service Officials at Accra Mall

Edward Tagoe showing off "@ttaaggooee" tee

@gamelmag!

Video Team Ghana Decides with @wizsharifa

Doc came through

The Blogging Ghana Crew at Uni of Ghana - Legon