West African Rural Empowerment Society History

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WARES
 

Dr. John David Arnold and PPEP founded WARES in 2011 to become the international arm for social investors and donor organizations such as PPEP and the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center. Its roots date to the summer of 2008. In that year Dr. John David Arnold was invited to Owerri, Nigeria to conduct workshops on micro credit to two groups: The WAAST National Pastors Conference and the Nigeria Women’s Conference of which there were several thousand attendees. The conferences were sponsored by Eric and Carol Smith Pastors of the South Valley Community Christian Church in Gilroy California and Pastor Casmir of the WAAST ministries in Owerri. From those conferences two microcredit programs emerged as well as West Africa’s first pastors’ survey on micro business as their means of sustainment. Also the WAAST Micro Credit Program was organized that combined the micro credit with the cooperative lending societies in Nigeria.

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This innovative, cost effective, ‘hybrid’ lending model is now being widely used in West Africa and beyond. Subsequently, the John David Arnold Academy for Success primary school Project was initiated with an emphasis on cultural music and dance. The following year the Awo Mberi Kingdom Women’s Palm nut oil processing plant was inaugurated that now employs 20 women. In 2010, Dr. Arnold was invited to Old Baika and the Bueman Kingdom in Ghana by the King-Nana Otipong Otibribi III. Since then two ‘clean’ drinking water bore holes with submersible pumps have been installed. Two schools renovated in New and Old Baika, and the Gabriel Cousens Nutrition Center nutrition center that feeds 350 school children. The Eagle’s Nest was built which welcomes visitors and serves as operational base for Dr. Arnold and PPEP programs. In 2012 a Humanitarian/ Ecotourism project was initiated to bring professional volunteers with their talent from abroad to do community service work during their vacations.

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The Baika Tourist Center was opened and transportation vehicles introduced to facilitate contacts with the Kingdom’s rich culture, traditions, and historical sites. The Ghana Tourism Ministry has also been engaged and the Deputy Minister Dr. Sonne paid a days visit to certify the site. In 2011, Ethiopia opened its doors to PPEP and WARES including a meeting with the President which invited WARES to expand its work there. Subsequent a senior nutrition and Diabetes education center in Holeta was established and renovated by PPEP Inc. The Tree of Life is providing funding the on- going organic senior feeding program and establishing a Tree of Life operation there. A botanical garden in Awassa was established with seed funds from PPEP with an international partnership with CEDES from Mexico. In December 2012, Dr. Arnold and Dr. Cousens take their messages about the Natural Cure of Diabetes and Sustainable Organic Farming to Ethiopia based on the successful seminars conducted in Nigeria and Ghana. In both countries a strong commitment to the youth has been made in the area of education, jobs, sports, ecology, the arts traditional music and dance to preserve their rich cultural heritage.

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The West African country Cameroon came into focus the summer of 2012 when Dr. Arnold was invited to the Bambui Kingdom (N.W.) and Limbe on the Atlantic coast. Support for two microcredit programs and five corn grinding machines coupled with technical assistance resulted from that visit. WARES itself is now incorporated and being designated by the IRS as a 501-C-3 charitable organization with its own Trade Mark. The WARES Board of Directors is made up of both Africans and other concerned individual with strong commitment to rural empowerment and humanitarianism. Recently WARES was referred to by the international media as an NGO of “ideas” and producing innovative solutions not centered on money to solve human problems. Thereby, furthering its mission ‘to empower rural people to be creative and self-sufficient’. PPEP, WARES, and Tree of Life welcome any individual or organization with similar beliefs and commitment to join our efforts.

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Those interested in participating with for WARES International Humanitarian Tourism project can also contact us at:

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Dr. John David Arnold Email: jarnold@ppep.org, Phone: 520-622-3553, Address: 802 E 46th Street, Tucson, AZ 85713.

WARES BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Dr. C.A.C. Eronini
Vice President Nana Otipong Otibribi III
Secretary Dr. John David Arnold
Treasurer Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD
Member at Large Gertha Brown
WARES CEO/Founder John David Arnold
Country Liaisons to the CEO:
Ezekiel Gebrekidane, Ethiopia
Zachary Angafor and Polycarp Chungong, Cameroon
Jorge Valenzuela, México
Clarence Boykins, Biographer

 

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