Actor/Producer MEKHI PHIFER, D.Litt. (Hons)
Chairman, TVG Board of Trustees
I have known of the existence of THE VINE GROUP since its inception in the year 2000; but it was not until 2002, when THE VINE GROUP held its first fundraising event, that I became actively involved. I had been asked by THE VINE GROUP'S President, Dr. Henry Akintunde, to serve as the Chief Launcher of that fundraiser. Considering it an honor to playa critical role in helping to establish a foundation upon which THE VINE GROUP could build and expand its objectives, I readily accepted; and I remain wholeheartedly committed to the philosophy and direction of THE VINE GROUP.
THE VINE GROUP is a not-for-profit organization that is the brainchild of its founding members. They are disturbed by the widening gap in opportunities for quality education between western countries and Sub-Saharan Africa. They reasoned that with a little ingenuity and the assistance of people who, like mindedly, are concerned with not only upgrading the quality of instruction in African universities, but also making it possible for indigent, deserving students to attend those universities, and begin to bridge that gap. At present, I am construction a research facility for Polytechnic, Ibadan in Nigeria that can accommodate over seven hundred students daily. This facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, linked to major universities in the United States. I ask you to please join us in the quest to reduce poverty and gender inequality through quality education all over Africa.
HENRY AKINTUNDE, Ph.D., PD.Ed.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Poverty reduction as we all know should be a national goal. The focus of The United Nations at present is that of poverty reduction around the world. By estimation, the sub-Saharan Africa is poorer than any other region. The Vine Group USA, Inc., (TVG), a not-for-profit organization established in 2000, is one of several organizations that focus on providing aid and support to sub-Saharan African region. It is a common knowledge that the crises of the region are not limited to that of the economy, but also those of religion and politics. Each crisis is extremely serious on its own account and linked to other crisis in complex and often mutually reinforcing ways. The effects of these are manifested in gender disparity, increased poverty and a bleak outlook for the future.
The mission of The Vine Group USA, Inc. is "poverty reduction through quality education" and it goes by this, one institution, one country, at a time. TVG focuses on revitalization of tertiary institutions because they serve as the building block for proper resource allocation that is necessary for poverty reduction. According to a study by UNESCO/OECD, "investing in secondary and tertiary education - and not just primary education - pays rich dividends, and by raising the level of post-secondary educational attainment, increased human capital can translate into steady economic growth." The Vine Group believes that through the generosity of philanthropists like you, it will continue to make significant differences in poverty reduction, human capital accumulation, and consequently, a sustainable economic development of the region in the long run.
