#102 Engaging Hollywood to transform lives in Nigeria, Afam Onyema co founder & CEO of GEANCO Foundation

<p>Afam Onyema joins Purposely to share his founder story starting the GEANCO Foundation.</p> <p>Afam is a high achiever on a mission, a graduate of both Harvard and Stanford Universities, he is also the co founder and CEO of a charitable foundation helping to transform lives in Africa. Headquartered in LOS Angeles it receives support from Hollywood stars including Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt and David Oyelowo to name just a few.</p> <p>Formed in 2005, the GEANCO Foundation’s mission is to save and transform lives in Nigeria. They perform complex surgical missions and deliver an innovative program to fight anemia and builds modern maternity clinics to help poor, vulnerable pregnant women deliver healthy babies.</p> <p>We dive into the charities founding story and how Afam, inspired by his father, Dr. Godwin Onyema set up the American Foundation to raise vital funds and with the hope of having more of an impact as well a legacy.</p> <p>On graduating from Stanford Law School Afam had a number of lucrative job offers put to him. However he gave it all up to help co-found the Foundation.</p> <p>Afam was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1979. He graduated cum laude from Harvard University. After graduation, Afam worked for Hill &amp; Knowlton, Inc., a global public relations firm. Afam entered Stanford Law School in September 2004. During his time at Stanford, he served as Vice President of the Black Law Students’ Association and a two-time Public Interest Fellow. In January 2006, Afam traveled to Ghana as part of the law school’s International Community Law Clinic.</p> <p>Through its David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship for Girls, GEANCO provides tuition, medical care, and social &amp; psychological support to young female victims of terrorism and gender inequality in Nigeria</p> <p>Afam has been profiled and/or interviewed by BBC News, National Public Radio (NPR), US News &amp; World Report, Forbes.com, Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post, American Lawyer, NBC News, KTLA, Harvard Magazine, Stanford Magazine, Stanford Lawye