Second-year international development student Frederick Agyeman-Duah isn’t waiting until after graduation to put his education to work. Agyeman-Duah started his own development consulting firm, the Frederick Development Group (FDG), two years ago after working in sub-Saharan Africa. 

“When I was working in Sudan and Kenya I saw a lot of problems with how nongovernmental organizations were developing programs, and governments, too,” says Agyeman-Duah. “These programs were failing because they were not effective and sustainable.”

Originally from Ghana, Agyeman-Duah came to the United States to pursue his education and has been here for 10 years. 

“I grew up in a very small town, with lots of aunts and uncles,” Agyeman-Duah says. “We shared everything--literally, nothing belonged to just one person. But it was worth it.  Growing up in Ghana taught me about concern for others and about being willing to work hard for something.”

After arriving in Greensboro, North Carolina, to stay with an uncle, Agyeman-Duah joined his mother in Canada before the two settled with other family members in Cincinnati. After finishing high school in Cincinnati, he attended Indiana Manchester College and graduated in 2004 with degrees in political science and English literature.   He began his studies at GSIS in 2005. 

While at GSIS, Agyeman-Duah began an internship with the Denver-based NGO Africa Today Associates (ATA) (www.africatodayassociates.org), and now serves as its part-time executive director. Through a Ford Foundation Grant given to ATA, he will leave nine days after he graduates at the end of the fall quarter for Nigeria to be a part of consultations on the situation in Darfur. 

Through his work with ATA, Agyeman-Duah is also involved with a health program in Sudan, where he hopes to bring medical supplies in December before heading to Kenya for another round of meetings about Darfur.    

Agyeman-Duah plans to pursue a PhD in government and political economy before returning to Africa. 

“If I were to end up spending my life here, it would be a waste,” he says. “I really believe that everybody is born with a certain duty and responsibility. My life belongs to the people of Africa.”