P.O. Box 1234 TL, Tamale, Ghana 601-366 Adelaide St. W., Toronto, ON M5V 1R9, Canada Telephone: +1.416.481.3696 | Fax: +1.416.352.5360 E-mail: [email protected] | Website: www.ewb.ca Charitable Registration Number: 89980-1815-RR0001 RE: Power of Positivity: Motivating Development in Northern Ghana Dear President Obama, We would like to thank you for choosing Ghana as your first official visit to Sub- Saharan Africa. In a message from the White House, your visit emphasizes “the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development”. Nothing would assert your belief in the people of Ghana more than a visit to northern Ghana, home of the country’s poorest people, a region that has been overlooked time and time again by state and foreign dignitaries from the world over. President Obama, we are respectfully requesting that you consider a visit to Tamale, the largest city of the 3 northern regions, to give a public address to thousands of aspiring development champions at Tamale Stadium that would be broadcast over radio, to reach the far corners of the Region. I am writing to you as a Citizen of the Globe who witnessed the hope and positivity you brought to U.S. politics. You inspired me and made me believe that true positive change is possible, no matter how entrenched the status quo. The people of Ghana are enthralled with your story. Your success in American politics has catalyzed a deep respect for you throughout this country. While our end goal is to have you visit the region, our mission is greater than that. Through our campaign, we hope to demonstrate with our Ghanaian peers that they can drive change. That they can organize, and use social networks to create a united voice. We want to spread a positive message of hope, of perseverance and of the benefits of sound leadership. President Obama, you showed the world that change IS possible. We are asking you to do more of the same. We are asking you to pay tribute to those most heavily affected by poverty and help them rise up and see that THEY too can make CHANGE happen. We are seeking to overcome the North - South divide that exists in Ghana and acknowledge the hard work of many of our northern brothers. I work with the Canadian organization, Engineers Without Borders Canada (EWB). We currently have 24 EWB staff working in the 3 northern regions. They are working with their local friends, including teachers, entrepreneurs, local youth groups and their government counterparts to launch a letter writing campaign to get their message to you. The Northern Region of Ghana sincerely hopes that we will have the privilege and honor of President Barack Obama’s acknowledgement (or visit) to inspire the people. Sincerely, Wayne Miranda [email protected] Engineers Without Borders Canada Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Northern Region, Ghana

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Letter to President Obama requesting that he visit Tamale to inspire northern Ghanaians and overcome the North-South divide on his first official visit to sub-Saharan Africa on July 10-11, 2009.

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P.O. Box 1234 TL, Tamale, Ghana601-366 Adelaide St. W., Toronto, ON M5V 1R9, CanadaTelephone: +1.416.481.3696 | Fax: +1.416.352.5360E-mail: [email protected] | Website: www.ewb.ca

Charitable Registration Number: 89980-1815-RR0001

RE: Power of Positivity: Motivating Development in Northern Ghana

Dear President Obama,

We would like to thank you for choosing Ghana as your first official visit to Sub-Saharan Africa.

In a message from the White House, your visit emphasizes “the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development”. Nothing would assert your belief in the people of Ghana more than a visit to northern Ghana, home of the country’s poorest people, a region that has been overlooked time and time again by state and foreign dignitaries from the world over.

President Obama, we are respectfully requesting that you consider a visit to Tamale, the largest city of the 3 northern regions, to give a public address to thousands of aspiring development champions at Tamale Stadium that would be broadcast over radio, to reach the far corners of the Region.

I am writing to you as a Citizen of the Globe who witnessed the hope and positivity you brought to U.S. politics. You inspired me and made me believe that true positive change is possible, no matter how entrenched the status quo. The people of Ghana are enthralled with your story. Your success in American politics has catalyzed a deep respect for you throughout this country.

While our end goal is to have you visit the region, our mission is greater than that. Through our campaign, we hope to demonstrate with our Ghanaian peers that they can drive change. That they can organize, and use social networks to create a united voice. We want to spread a positive message of hope, of perseverance and of the benefits of sound leadership.

President Obama, you showed the world that change IS possible. We are asking you to do more of the same. We are asking you to pay tribute to those most heavily affected by poverty and help them rise up and see that THEY too can make CHANGE happen. We are seeking to overcome the North - South divide that exists in Ghana and acknowledge the hard work of many of our northern brothers.

I work with the Canadian organization, Engineers Without Borders Canada (EWB). We currently have 24 EWB staff working in the 3 northern regions. They are working with their local friends, including teachers, entrepreneurs, local youth groups and their government counterparts to launch a letter writing campaign to get their message to you.

The Northern Region of Ghana sincerely hopes that we will have the privilege and honor of President Barack Obama’s acknowledgement (or visit) to inspire the people.

Sincerely,

Wayne [email protected] Without Borders CanadaMinistry of Food and Agriculture, Northern Region, Ghana