Burdened by a strong desire to see Africans and African-Americans move away from the doldrums, James Carl Kennedy, an African-American has embarked on massive activities to transform the township of Asante Akim Hwiediem, following his enstoolment as Nkosuo Hene (Development Chief) in 1999.
Under the stool name Nana Amo Kantinkrau, Mr. Kennedy has taken it upon himself to improve education in the area and has undertaken to rehabilitate old school buildings, giving them a new outlook.
The Moreso Presbyterian Primary School and the Adomfe Roman Catholic School, among others, have benefitted tremendously from his generous philanthropic activities, which include payment of school fees for many pupils in the area.
Nana Kantinkrau has also donated computers and accessories to various schools in the Asante Akim areas of the Ashanti Region, such as Hwidiem Methodist School computer laboratory, with the aim of equipping their computer laboratories to enhancing ICT training in the various educational institutions.
Water projects and the construction of toilet facilities for schools and the community are some of the hallmarks of his leadership.
According to him, the education of the young African is one of the means of empowering and emancipating them from the effects of slavery and positioning them to take up their positions in life.
Nana Kantinkrau, who prefers to be called American African, is also targeting job creation in the capitals of Asante Akim South, North and Central districts to stop youth delinquency that is the result of idleness.
Therefore, as a retired painter, Nana Kantinkrau has begun processes leading to the establishment of a factory in each of the Asante Akim districts, to produce paints under the brand name KnB.
knB is an initiative by Nana Kantinkrau and Mr. Collins Obeng Agyare, an entrepreneur, who has have partnered to train the youth in the manufacturing of various products such as soap, hair creams, mosquito spray, floor and tiles cleaners, among others.
He has also set up a network, www.americanafricanmatch.com to link up Africans and African Americans for genuine nuptial relationships that, in his view, “would bridge the gap between the same people separated by historical events:”.
It is his expectation that this would bring about some investments into Africa as he also woos his fellows in the diaspora to invest in the country.