Country: Ghana

About: An award winning youth philanthropist and social entrepreneur as well as development communication consultant.   Emmanuel is World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Shaper Founding Curator and also volunteers as NEXUS Africa Chair and Country Lead for Giving Tuesday in Ghana.  Through his 10 years philanthropy and social enterprise support foundation, GADeF International, Emmanuel has set up four Sustainable Development Goals Innovation Labs supporting innovations with over 2,000 grassroots social enterprises, change makers and women exceptional SDGs solution champions and 50 global community making impact and social good for sustainable future for all. Emmanuel has a Masters in Science in Development Management and certificates in Project Management Professional (PMP) and Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management.

Recipe for Change: 

Here are my 5 steps for achieving a sustainable future for all:

1. Identify the local and grassroots problems that needs solutions of young talents, social entrepreneurs and other stakeholders & professionals 
2. Identify the solution you can provide to solve the identify problem by looking at the purpose and passion in you and why you want to be a catalyst for change
3.  Decide if you want to start as an Individual or through an organization
4. Identify and mobilise teams that share the same inspiration and have passion to also become agents by giving and working together. Team includes mentors and advisors who are available to inspire the team and support the vision. Mobilise funding and support for the solution. 
5. Provide support and work on solutions, monitor and share impact stories. Connect with other innovations and social innovations support organisations to support to scale up and also learn best practices

Recipe: Fufu

Fufu, an essential food in most of West Africa, refers to a dough made from boiled and pounded starchy ground provisions like plantains, cassava, or malanga—or a combination of two or more. It was brought to the Americas by enslaved populations who adapted it to Caribbean cuisines according to what was available. Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou) is a Twi word meaning “mash or mix” for a soft doughy food. Many people visiting Ghana show interest in eating fufu because of its interesting processes and local name

INGREDIENTS:

• 300 g (10 1/2 oz) un-ripened plantain
• 460 g (16 oz) cassava
• 350-450 ml (1 1/2 cup to 2 cups – 1 tbsp) water for blending
• 50 ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) water for steaming

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 First, peel the plantain and cut it into cubes. Peel and scrape the cassava, de-string it and also cut into cubes.

2 Next, place the cassava and plantain into the blender. Add water: for now, use 350 ml if you want fufu to be firmer, or 450 ml if you prefer it softer.

3 Turn the blender on and process the ingredients into a smooth paste.

4 Next, heat the paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spatula for 8 to 10 minutes to remove any lumps.

5 Now, add the remaining 50 ml of water to the mixture. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and steam for another 8 to 10 minutes.

6 After that, increase the heat to medium setting and stir. The fufu might look too soft, but it will become firmer as it cools down.

7 Transfer the fufu into a bowl and sprinkle one teaspoon of water on the surface to prevent forming a film. Let it cool completely.

8 Shape fufu into a ball and serve with soup or stew of your choice.