COVID-19: Duapa Africa brings hope to tens of thousands across the globe

With millions of people across the world under lockdown due to the disturbing effects of the novel coronavirus, Duapa Africa saw an opportunity to send strong messages of positivity, solidarity and hope to people across the world, especially across Africa and its diaspora.

Dubbed ‘Beyond Coronavirus’ the six-week virtual initiative comprising webinars, community engagements, discussions and experience sharing engaged various high profile experts, policymakers, business people and practitioners across the world to share solutions that will help the world look think and look beyond the negative impact of the pandemic.

By employing virtual platforms like Zoom, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube, WeChat and LinkedIn among others, the project has directly reached and impacted over 200,000 people across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australia. Duapa Africa is one of the organisations that implemented virtual engagements during the early days of the unprecedented global lockdown due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Founder and CEO of Duapa Africa, Mr Musa Frimpong, believes there is life beyond coronavirus that we can all live, and more than just being afraid of the virus, spreading fake news and social distancing, we can find innovative ways to help fight the pandemic as well as prepare ourselves to rebuild for ourselves and future generations a better Africa and world when we defeat the pandemic. Duapa Africa will continue to work with various stakeholders to come up with socioeconomic solutions that will help Africa and the world recover from the negative impact of COVID-19.

The inception episodes of the webinar series featured Mr Nicholas Ouma from Kenya, Senior Youth Advisor at African Union Commission who shared insights on the topic ‘The Changing World of Work’; Mr Hussein Makki from Egypt also shared insights on ‘Digital Marketing’ to help people and businesses. A Global Young Changemakers session was also held featuring Ms Josiane Darwatoye from Chad, Founder and CEO of DARWA; Mr Aubrey Stewart from Jamaica, Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica; Ms Dahlia Ducreay from The Commonwealth of Dominica, Head of International Affairs at China’s largest privately-owned education enterprise; Mr Richard Apau from Ghana, Founder/CEO of AfriDIC; Ms Rasyidah Ibrahim from Brunei Darussalam, Sustainable Development Goals Policy Researcher at University of Geneva and Tsinghua University; Ms Shimmaa Khaled from Egypt, Founder/CEO of Olomangy; Mr Tozo Kokou Wotodjo from Togo, Head of Policy and Research at Duapa Africa and Ms Heather Li from China, Founder/CEO of Dot Connector PR Agency.

These young leaders discussed several solutions on how COVID-19 can be addressed through global solidarity and cooperation.

The project also dedicated the whole month of May (Africa Month) to discussing African development issues and solutions. It brought together several high profile speakers including Captain Ms Ashaba Faridah from Uganda, a Pilot; Mr Jeffrey Ben Matu from Kenya, Senior Technical Officer at FHI 360 Washington DC office; Ms Khomotjo Mphahlele from South Africa, Marine Training Manager and Facilitator at Maritime School of Excellence Transnet National Ports Authority; and Mr Abubakar Essuman from Ghana, Head of Human Resources at Bank of Africa Ghana Limited who discussed ‘Talent and Human Capital Development in Africa’.

The session on ‘Africa’s decade (2020-2030) socioeconomic transformation and how to seize it as Africans’ featured Ms Bitania Lulu from Ethiopia, Researcher at Centre for Dialogue, Research and Corporation; Mr Ibrahim Sanusi from Nigeria, Advisor on the Joint African Union – German Cooperation on Citizens Participation and Innovative Data Use for Africa’s Development; Ms Dikeledi A. Mokoena from South Africa, Lecturer at Nelson Mandela University and Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute; Mr Samuel Kissi from Ghana, Policy and Advocacy Specialist, UNFPA Liaison Office to the African Union; Mr Patson Malisa from South Africa, Deputy Presiding Officer, Africa Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC); and Mr Tewodros Tadesse from Ethiopia, Founder/CEO of Centre for Africa Leadership Studies and xHub Addis.

The session on ‘African Integration’ also featured Ms Adeng Leek from South Sudan, African Union Commission; Ms Justina Obaoye-Ajala from Nigeria, Acting President of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization, China and African Diaspora in China Network; Mr Melvin P. Foote from the USA, Founder & President of Washington D.C based Constituency for Africa and Founder of African American Unity Caucus; Mr Ibrahim Ceesay Shalom from The Gambia, Founding Executive Director of the African Artists Peace Initiative (AAPI) and Chair of CAADP Youth Network; Ms Maha Jouini from Tunisia, Author and Blogger and Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako from Ghana, Regional Director, CUTS International and Ghana’s Representative to the General Assembly of AU-ECOSSOC.

The highlight of the webinar series was held on Monday 25th May, 2020 to mark Africa Day 2020 which gathered ten amazing talented kids across Africa and her Diaspora to share their experiences and perspectives on the impact of covid-19.

These kids were Ms Nakeeyat Dramani, 8-year-old from Ghana and winner of 2019 edition of TV3’s Talented Kids ; Mr. Mukundi Michael Hwasheni, 9-year-old from Zimbabwe who has won multiple CCTV Kids Awards; Mr Tapiwa Kakompe, 11-year-old from Zambia; Mr Obed Rocky Dadzie, 16-year-old from Ghana, Triplets Ghetto Kids from Uganda who performed at the 2017 BET Awards; Ms. Nour Abou Alam, 11-year-old from Egypt; Ms Isatou Aliue Awe, 14-year-old, from The Gambia; Ms Meena Adwoa Achiaa Essuman, 14-year-old from Ghana; Mr Yehia Mohamed, 9-year-old, from Egypt; and Mr Excel Babucarr Odonghanro, 15-year-old, from The Gambia.

The second session on the day featured Dr Kassim M. Khamis, a retired Diplomat of African Union Commission and Co-author of Agenda 2063 share insights on ‘The Africa We Want’ as enshrined in the Agenda 2063 vision documents.

The last episode of the first phase of the project also hosted Mr Prudence Sebahizi from Rwanda, Chief Technical Advisor, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Head of the AfCFTA Unit/Interim Secretariat at African Union Commission who shared insights on how the AfCFTA can fuel the creation of more unicorns (a company worth billion dollars) across Africa.

The other panellist was Mr Bako Ambianda, Founder and CEO of Labacorp Group of Companies and Africa Trade and Investment Global Summit who also highlighted on the role of the private sector in creating more unicorns across Africa. This session focused on boosting trade, investments and job and wealth creation across Africa inspired by the AfCFTA.

Duapa Africa is high-impact and high-growth Pan African business and development firm headquartered in Accra, Ghana, with a branch office in Beijing, China dedicated to the socio-economic transformation of Africa through innovative solutions. Duapa Africa has over the past two years been facilitating human capital development, employment creation, trade and investment, wealth creation and other social impact projects which have benefitted and impacted thousands across the world.

Through their Accra office, Duapa Africa seeks to leverage on the African Continental Free Trade Area to become a true bridge for connecting Africa to itself and the rest of the world to create lasting positive changes across Africa. The company has won several recognitions and awards for their great works and impact in the last two years.