About Us
Shidaa African Culture Project is a West African organization specializing in conducting workshops in schools and community organizations throughout Vermont and New England as well as the entire Northeast US to promote diversity through drumming, dance, fabric printing with Adinkra symbols, drum making, beading, and cooking.
We believe and specialize in teaching traditional West African culture through drum/dance, fabric printing using Adinkra symbols, drum making, beading, and cooking.
Meet Us
Jordan Mensah, MBA
Jordan started traditional African Drumming at age 9 in Ghana. He grew up in Bukom, a suburb of Accra, a community where drum and dance played an integral part of all community activities.
Heather Preis, MBA
Heather Preis is an accountant by profession, and the coordinator of the Ghana project. She ensures that shipments from Vermont to Ghana reach the needy.
Prosper Kuardio
Prosper is from La Côte D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). A pioneering member of the Koteba National Dance Ensemble of La Cote D’Ivoire, he has performed all over the world. He has collaborated with Jeh Kulu drum/dance company. He is enthusiastic about teaching others African culture through dance and drums.
Julie Hunter, PhD
Julie, a native of Vermont, studied ethnomusicology at Brown University and completed her Ph.D. in 2011 with a specialization in the music of Africa.
Team Ghana
Following our deep passion for reaching the needy and less privileged in Ghana where various ethnographic challenges are confronted (not to mention the ongoing challenges the Covid-19 has created), the need for a strong, stable, & well organized local team is paramount. The Shidaa projects Inc. is represented in Ghana by Team Ghana, a three member group of dedicated individuals with various philanthropic, human-centered, & customer-oriented project experiences. The team serves as a reliable bridge between shipped consignments from the Shidaa Projects Inc. (USA), and the designated recipients (schools, children, students, families) in Ghana 🇬🇭 🇬🇭
Dolly Naa Abrahams (MBA)
Dolly heads Team Ghana of Shidaa, which has facilitated the clearing, storage, and distribution of shipped items from the US since 2019. She is, primarily, a Senior data management officer of Ghana’s Social Security & National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
Abraham Nii Tetteh Djarbann
Abraham Tetteh Djarbann is an educationist and school administrator. He has managed numerous educational institutions, including Modern Sch of Draughtsmanship (Accra) where he was Headmaster for over 20 years.
Mr. Andrew Ajetunmobi
Mr. Andrew Ajetunmobi is an IT specialist of the Unique Insurance Company, Ltd. (Ridge, Accra), where he has gathered more than a decade’s experience in computer related solutions to organizational operations.
Samuel Marquaye
Samuel M. Marquaye is a dancer, choreographer, percussionist and a comic actor, who discovered his talent at a very tender age in a place called Bukom, a suburb in Accra-Ghana.