Strategic Partners
Lumana works to build on past relationships with partners in Ghana and is currently working to forge new alliances within the Global Development community. We believe cooperation is the key to designing new programs to serve impoverished communities.
Open Data Kit
Open Data Kit is an open-source software created to visualize, aggregate, and compare data. Building off of our needs assessment surveys from 2009, Lumana's partnership with Open Data Kit seeks to refine how we survey and understand the communities we currently serve and the villages we seek to help. In the future, we would like to use this technology to make our data more accessible to other development agencies and organizations.
Literacy Bridge
Literacy Bridge uses lightweight technology solutions to help educate remote and sometimes illiterate African people. The Talking Book, featured here, is a low-cost, durable audio computer. Lumana is currently developing a program with Literacy Bridge, in partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of Agriculture, to disseminate information by way of the Talking Book to our farming cooperatives in an effort to increase and improve crop yields lending to the general food security of our populations.
Atorkor Development Foundation
The Atorkor Development Foundation (ADF) is a non-government organization founded by the chief of Atorkor, Dr. Samuel Adjorlolo, that has taken on some incredibly noteworthy projects for the village of Atorkor, Ghana. ADF's vision is to transform Atorkor from a poor and under-developed village into a self-sustaining community with basic amenities. Lumana has worked with ADF since our first pilot village in Ghana in 2008. They have provided us with invaluable information to better organize and educate our borrower communities.
Anlo Rural Bank
The Anlo Rural Bank is located in Anloga, Ghana and is home to the revolving loan fund for Lumana. Mr. Godwin Ahadzi serves as the bank manager and plays a principle role in managing repayments of cooperatives and providing legal advice regarding defaults and employee matters. As a former board member for the Christian Rural Aid Network (CRAN), a network of microfinance banks in Ghana, as well as a former VP for Barclay's in Accra, Ghana, Mr. Ahadzi has a wealth of knowledge and brings over thirty years of commercial banking experience. The Atorkor Development Foundation, Lumana, and the Anlo Rural Bank all work together to establish a promising future for the rural communities in Ghana.
Global Brigades
Global Brigades is Lumana's fiscal sponsor in the US. Global Brigades is the world’s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. It is made up of international nonprofit affiliates that mobilize student volunteers and professionals to empower communities in developing countries with programs that improve quality of life while respecting local culture.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR) is the premier legal advisor to technology and growth enterprises worldwide, as well as the investment banks and venture capital firms that finance them. Associate Partner Sean Butler met the Lumana team in the spring of 2009 and was immediately inspired by our work in Ghana. Shortly after, Sean introduced the team to other partners at WSGR, brought us on as a
pro-bono client, and has assisted Lumana with everything from filing our 501(c)3 in January 2010, to providing good governance counseling and other legal support.
Dzita Development Association
The Dzita Development Association (DDA) was created by the chief and other leaders of the village of Dzita in order to address the problems of poverty in the area. In 2009, Lumana partnered with DDA and trained four community leaders in our entrepreneurship mentor program. We currently have one loan officer serving nearly 40 clients in Dzita and look forward to expanding our operations there in 2010.
Accra Ridge Rotary
The Accra Ridge Rotary is Lumana's Rotary partner in Ghana. Including several business professionals and former leaders of rural communities across Ghana, this partnership will play a key role in Lumana's strategic expansion across the country. The Accra Ridge club has agreed to oversee any International Grants submitted to Rotary International.
Meet Me There African Lodge
Meet Me There is a beautiful eco-tourist African Home Lodge which sits on the Eastern coast of Ghana between two small villages. They have been integral in cultivating a vibrant volunteer program and investing hotel revenues into development projects throughout the region.