About The Ghana Project

History of the Ghana Project

The Ghana Project began when Carol Gray and the Mmofra Trom Foundation welcomed the idea of a partnership with Bentley. The Mmofra Trom Foundation is a small NGO whose UK founder, Carol Gray, has been a guest speaker at Bentley three times in the past. She has inspired hundreds of students with her vision for alleviating poverty and addressing the needs of the poor, with an aim of returning them to dignity and self-sufficiency. The partnership gives Bentley students the opportunity to help Mmofra Trom develop the economic, educational, and health-care infrastructure needed to support orphans in the region.

The 38-acre site where the Mmofra Trom Education Center is located was purchased from Nene Nar Plorkey III, the village Chief of Trom, by the Mmofra Trom Foundation. Olan Adjetey, director of the center, first visited Bentley in July 2005 to explore the potential for a partnership. Olan has since been back to Bentley in both 2007 and 2008 for continuing discussions about the Mmofra Trom Education Center’s five-year strategic plan and financial goals, as well as Bentley’s role going forward.

In 2008, Bentley began expanding the project to include other partner organizations that were engaged in addressing social issues in Ghana through the use of sustainable business models. Bentley faculty members build long-term relationships with Partner Organizations, and are available as consultants and advisers. In exchange, our partner organizations involve our students in their work during Bentley's 8-week Global Social Responsibilty Practicum, taught each summer in Ghana. 

Purpose

We build long-term relationships with partner organizations in Ghana that enable us to offer the Bentley Community a global context for learning about:

1. the role and responsibility of business in economic development: Conscious Capitalism
2. alternative business models, including social enterprises that use profits for social good
3. the value of their business skills in addressing social issues
4. the challenges of inter-cultural communication and cooperation
5. the process of self-reflection as a tool for life-long learning

Partner Organizations