Ebenezer Norman

Last updated

Ebenezer Norman
Ebeneezer Norman.jpg
Ebenezer Norman at fundraising event in 2018
Born (1981-06-10) 10 June 1981 (age 42)
Monrovia, Liberia
EducationLeading economic growth, Harvard University, BA in Organization Development, Regis University; Master of Development Practice, Regis University [1]
OccupationActivist]
Known forHumanitarian activism, female education activism, [2] Popular education activism

Ebenezer Norman is a Liberian philanthropist, humanitarian, public speaker, and founder of the education non-profit A New Dimension of Hope (NDHope). He is involved in humanitarian efforts in Liberia and throughout West Africa, notably for efforts to build schools in attenuated or war-torn communities after the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003 and the Ebola virus epidemic in Liberia in 2015.

Contents

Early life

Norman was born in Monrovia, Liberia, in 1981 and moved to the United States as a teenager on a student visa. [3] In the aftermath of the Second Liberian Civil War, Norman returned to Liberia to assist with peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts. It was at this time he first connected with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee. [4] In 2010, while on a tour of the school system in Monrovia, Norman was inspired to develop an organization that would construct and manage school systems in Liberia that could be held to the same academic standards as the school systems in the United States. [5]

On this basis, Norman was granted an opportunity to study Non-profit Organization Development at Regis University and founded the organization NDHope while an undergrad at the university. He self-funded NDHope in its early stages by working part-time as an HR Rep at Dish Network and Comcast Cable. [6] It was during this period that Norman garnered funding in order to build his first school in Troyah Town, Liberia. [7]

Career

New Dimension of Hope

While still struggling to fundraise on behalf of NDHope, Norman managed to gather the funding to construct his first school through his personal savings and bank loans while living in Denver, Colorado. [8] He managed the resources and labor of the school's construction from the United States, traveling a few times to Liberia to oversee it. [9] After the initial construction of this first school, the outbreak of Ebola in the region forced all educational buildings in the area to close. [10] By the time the virus had subsided, the school had been largely abandoned and decrepit.

The closure of this first school due to the Ebola outbreak was the catalyst for an expanded fundraising effort. [11] Norman brought on a new team of media strategists and fundraisers to increase visibility and showcase the work he was doing in Liberia. [12] The new strategy included a crowd-funding campaign in which Leymah Gbowee offered to write handwritten letters to the highest donors and was a success. [13] The school re-opened in 2015 and Gbowee cut the ribbon at the ceremony. [14]

School's destruction

Less than a year after the inaugural school's construction, internal real estate issues between the government of Liberia and the University of Liberia campus near the site of the school resulted in the school's destruction. [15] This resulted in a public outcry on behalf of Norman and NDHope. In the two years following the incident, both Leymah Gbowee and Dr. Jerry Brown, one of Time magazine's 2014 People of the Year, attended fundraisers on behalf of NDHope. [16]

In 2019, the school was rebuilt in a neighboring village. The new school, according to a Facebook post by the organization, is more than three times as big as the original school and includes updated facilities and technology. [17] [ non-primary source needed ]

Currently, plans for a third school are underway. [18]

Awards

Ebenezer Norman is a recently elected Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA). In 2013, he was a nominee of the World of Children award. He was also a recipient of the Leaders Overcoming Obstacles to Peace or LOOP Award. [19]

Personal life

Norman currently lives in Denver Colorado. Norman has served as a leader for various other organizations, including the "Father's Project". [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conrad N. Hilton Foundation</span> American non-profit charitable foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad Hilton. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979, when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate. In 2007, Conrad's son, Barron Hilton announced that he would leave about 97% of his fortune to a charitable remainder unitrust which names the foundation as the remainder beneficiary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Mennonite University</span> University in Virginia, U.S.

Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) is a private Mennonite university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The university also operates a satellite campus in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which primarily caters to working adults. EMU is known for its Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP), particularly its graduate program in conflict transformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Liberian Civil War</span> 1989–1997 civil war in Liberia

The First Liberian Civil War was the first in a series of two civil wars within the West African nation of Liberia. It lasted from 1989 to 1997. President Samuel Doe established a regime in 1980 but totalitarianism and corruption led to unpopularity and the withdrawal of support from the United States by the late 1980s. The National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) led by Charles Taylor invaded Liberia from the Ivory Coast to overthrow Doe in December 1989 and gained control over most of the country within a year. Doe was captured and executed by the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), a splinter faction of the NPFL led by Prince Johnson, in September 1990. The NPFL and INPFL fought each other for control of the capital city, Monrovia and against the Armed Forces of Liberia and pro-Doe United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy. Peace negotiations and foreign involvement led to a ceasefire in 1995 but fighting continued until a peace agreement between the main factions occurred in August 1996. Taylor was elected President of Liberia following the 1997 Liberian general election and entered office in August of the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</span> President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex strike</span> Strike in which one or more persons refrain from sex

A sex strike, or more formally known as Lysistratic nonaction, is a method of nonviolent resistance in which one or more persons refrain from or refuse sex with partners until policy or social demands are met. It is a form of temporary sexual abstinence. Sex strikes have been used to protest many issues, from war to gang violence to policies.

<i>Pray the Devil Back to Hell</i> 2008 documentary film by Gini Reticker

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Gini Reticker and produced by Abigail Disney. The film premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Documentary. The film had its theatrical release in New York City on November 7, 2008. It had cumulative gross worldwide of $90,066.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace</span>

Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace is a peace movement started in 2003 by women in Monrovia, Liberia, Africa, that worked to end the Second Liberian Civil War. Organized by Crystal Roh Gawding and social workers Leymah Gbowee and Comfort Freeman, the movement began despite Liberia having extremely limited civil rights. Thousands of Muslim and Christian women from various classes mobilized their efforts, staged silent nonviolence protests that included a sex strike and the threat of a curse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leymah Gbowee</span> Liberian peace activist (born 1972)

Leymah Roberta Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist responsible for leading a women's nonviolent peace movement, Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Her efforts to end the war, along with her collaborator Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, helped usher in a period of peace and enabled a free election in 2005 that Sirleaf won. Gbowee and Sirleaf, along with Tawakkul Karman, were awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abigail Disney</span> American film producer

Abigail Edna Disney is an American documentary film producer, philanthropist, social activist, and member of the Disney family. She produced the 2008 documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell. Disney and Kathleen Hughes are producers and directors of Outstanding Social Issue Documentary Emmy Award winning The Armor of Light (2015) and The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales.

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) is an accredited graduate-level program founded in 1994. It also offers non-credit training. The program specializes in conflict transformation, restorative justice, trauma healing, equitable development, and addressing organizational conflict. CJP is housed at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, which describes itself as "a leader among faith-based universities" in emphasizing "peacebuilding, creation care, experiential learning, and cross-cultural engagement." One of the three 2011 Nobel Peace Laureates, Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, earned a master's degree in conflict transformation from CJP in 2007.

Samuel Gbaydee Doe is a conflict, peace, and development professional from Liberia. Doe was a cofounder, with Emmanuel Bombande, of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), based in Accra, Ghana. This organization focuses on collaborative approaches to conflict prevention and was founded in 1998 in response to the civil wars taking place in West Africa. The organization is known for their work with several regional partners such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union’s Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi</span> Nigerian activist and writer (born 1963)

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Nigerian-British feminist activist, writer and policy advocate. She was first lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria as wife of Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi from 2018 to 2022. She previously served as first lady from 2010 to 2014 during her husband's first term in office. In 2001, she co-founded the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF), the first Pan-African grant-making organisation. She serves as a UN Women Nigeria Senior Advisor, and was appointed as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King's College London in 2017. She is CEO of Above Whispers Limited, and runs an online community called Abovewhispers.com.

Anthony Alexander Angelini, is an American entrepreneur, event producer, and humanitarian. He gained distinction for his involvement in charitable events in the Southern California area, and through his family business Angelini Trading Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity</span> Award

The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity is an international humanitarian award recognizing individuals for humanitarian work. It is awarded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian genocide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women Wage Peace</span> Israeli grassroots peace movement

Women Wage Peace is an Israeli grassroots peace movement, formed shortly after the Gaza War in 2014. Its primary goal is to pressure the Israeli government into achieving a "bilaterally acceptable political agreement" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a target date of 2018.

Thelma Arimiebi Ekiyor is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and impact investor who has served in authoritative positions within many organizations. Ekiyor has focused primarily on investing in women entrepreneurs. She started her career supporting women in peacebuilding and empowering women and youth through financial independence and educational access. She has experience with projects in more than 22 African countries. Ekiyor worked in post-conflict countries such as Liberia with the peace activist Leymah Gbowee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women Cross DMZ</span> Non-profit organization

Women Cross DMZ (WCDMZ) is a non-profit organization mobilizing women around the world to promote peace in Korea, as well as denuclearization and demilitarization of the Korean Peninsula. Founded in 2014 by Christine Ahn, a Korean American peace activist, the advocacy and education organization of feminists, lawyers and peace activists calls for a formal end to the Korean War and the replacement of the armistice agreement with a peace agreement. In 2015, WCDMZ made international headlines when it organized a historic crossing of the heavily armed De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North Korea from South Korea at the 38th parallel.

PeaceJam is a US-based global youth organization led by Nobel Peace laureates. It was founded by musical artist Ivan Suvanjieff and his wife, the economist Dawn Engle in 1993.

Events in the year 2019 in Liberia.

The Future Africa Leaders Award (FALA) is an annual prize awarded to 10 African youths who have contributed significantly in their local communities through innovation, societal education on local and global issues, developing solutions to combat societal issues, advocacy, social education and societal awareness. Each winner is given a grant of 10,000 USD and an outstanding winner among the 10 is given an additional 25,000 USD. Since inception, 110 youths from 28 countries have won this Award out of thousands of entries reviewed each year.

References

  1. ↑ "Hope Amidst Ebola". regis.edu.
  2. ↑ "Helping Young Women Survivors of War in Liberia". 27 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Ebenezer Norman part" – via YouTube.
  4. ↑ "Nobel Peace Prize Winner Receives Award in Arvada | Arvada, CO Patch". Patch.com. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "Colorado man opens school in rural Liberia".
  6. ↑ "Colorado group preparing to open school in Liberia".
  7. ↑ "Ebola delays Colorado man's school opening in Liberia".
  8. ↑ 9News:Colorado group preparing to open school in Liberia. In one of the countries hit hardest by Ebola, 'A New Dimension of Hope' hopes to live up to its name. 9NEWS at 5 p.m. 04/05/15. http://www.9news.com/story/news/2015/04/05/colorado-group-preparing-to-open-school-in-liberia/25330805/%5B%5D
  9. ↑ Denver man's school in Liberia on hold till Ebola threat fades http://denvercatholicregister.org/denver-mans-school-liberia-hold-till-eb%5B%5D <http://denvercatholicregister.org/denver-mans-school-liberia-hold-till-ebola-threat-fades/#.VH6GATHF-So%5B%5D>
  10. ↑ "Denver man's school in Liberia on hold till Ebola threat fades". Denver Catholic. 3 December 2014.
  11. 1 2 "Educating Children in Liberia". 24 August 2015.
  12. ↑ Ebola delays Colorado man's school opening in Liberia http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2014/11/16/ebola-delays-colorado-mans-school-opening-in-liberia/19139027/%5B%5D
  13. ↑ Forker, Jennifer. "Regis University Welcomes 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Winner". Denver Post , 2 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20190913181254/https://yourhub.denverpost.com/blog/2018/08/regis-university-welcomes-2011-nobel-peace-prize-winner/221699/.
  14. ↑ "Thousand Oaks' Anthony Angelini gives awards address for second time". Ventura County Star.
  15. ↑ "As New School along with village in Liberia destroyed, Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee Makes Appeal -". 7 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "Thousand Oaks resident Anthony Angelini gives awards speech". Ventura County Star.
  17. ↑ "We did it!!!!!!! Our school has finally been completed. 1000 children will now have access to quality education. Help us make our September opening day a success by volunteering for one of our drives!!! A big thanks to all of our supporters!" – via Facebook.
  18. ↑ "New Dimension of Hope Brings Hope To Liberia's Youthful Population, Built Modern School". 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019.
  19. ↑ "Our Team". A New Dimension of Hope. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.