Getting the job done.

In about 4 more weeks, 48 computers, monitors and software donated by Concordia College, RDO equipment and Microsoft will be arriving at the shores of Ghana West Africa. Two high schools, Achimota Secondary School (my alma mater) and Methodist Girls High Schools are the first recipients of the first batch of technology equipment to high schools in Africa.

Area businesses and individuals generously donated time and money to make this a success and

I thank everyone for all their hard work. A special thanks goes to Midwest Motors Express for donating shipping from my storage unit in Fargo to Minneapolis.

Thanks to my buddies, Trent, Prince, Peter, Ben and Alan for helping with banding and shrink wrapping of all those computers and to Union Storage for their assistance.

If you are still interesed in helping with the project please read the previous bolgs to find out how you can help. We are hoping to send the next consignment soon but are in need of some working laptops.

Help the people of Africa better their lives and teach them how to be independent. Here is their break and whatever you can give to support this cause will go a very long way.

Thanks

Arday Ardayfio

Who said Fargoans don't give?

I read an article in Men's Health magazine last Wednesday about the most generous cities. Minneapolis got an A or B and Fargo got a D. The article talked about response to Katrina relief efforts. I will bet to differ with their grading and offer my own grading of a B; this is why. I just came home from Trinity Lutheran Church where the Haiti Medical Mission group had a cheese cake thank you reception for support they received for their project. Check out that project on www.haitimedicalmission.info and see how many lives are being touched by the people of Fargo Moorhead.

The people of Fargo Moorhead are overwhelming me with their support. Since our story aired on WDAY on Thursday March 23rd, I have received emails from people & local businesses who want to donate more computers, money to help ship the computers to Ghana. It's amazing the responses I am getting and I am glad that the people of Fargo Moorhead are rising to the challenge to help people who need a little boost. We can't do it without your support.

With groups like The Haiti Medical Mission going to Haiti every year to help the Haitians and the support I am getting to ship these computers, I think what the Men's Health magazine said is unfounded. I don't know where they got their stats from but the people are generous and thats all that matters. We still need support so please send your checks to - watch for updates on donations soon.

The Ghana Computer Project
Quantum Connections
c/o Rowland Joiner
114 Jefferson St. S
Wadena MN 56482
Phone: 320-594-7196

e-Mail ardayfio@gmail.com if you want to discuss this further or want more information on how you can help.

How you can HELP?

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”
A lot of people are wondering how they can help with this project. We do have a lot of people who have volunteered to help move the equipment and box them up but we definitely need some financial assistance. None of these computers will reach Ghana if we don't get any help financially. So seriously consider the need.

It will cost about $80 to ship one computer(monitor and tower) and about $50 to ship a laptop. We have parterned with Quantum Connections, a not for profit organization to be in charge of donations and collections. Some people think 80 to 100 dollars is a lot of money to ship one computer, what they fail to realize is that there is freight, handling and other costs associated with shipping.

Anything will be helpful, even $1. We are also interested in receiving less than 4 year old laptops for teachers. Please send them to

The Ghana Computer Project
Quantum Connections
c/o Rowland Joiner
114 Jefferson St. S
Wadena MN 56482
Phone: 320-594-7196
e-mail: info@q-connections.org
www.q-connections.org

If you have any questions for me please email me at ardayfio@gmail.com. I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Benefit Concert in Staples

St Cecelia Trio plays benefit concert
By Rin Porter

The St Cecelia Trio played a benefit concert for Quantum Connections International, a Browerville nonprofit organization, on Sunday, February 12, at the Sacred Heart Rectory in Staples.
The trio consists of three local musicians: pianist the Reverend Richard Collman of the United Methodist Church of Motley, flute player Lisa Winter who teaches German at Wadena-Deer Creek High School, and cellist Father Peter Kirchner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Staples. The three musicians have played classical and contemporary music together for a number of years, performing mainly in Morrison, Wadena, and Todd Counties.
The purpose of the benefit concert was to raise funds to assist with one of Quantum Connections International’s current projects: shipping computers to schools in Ghana.
Mr. Arday Ardayfio, who was born in Ghana and came to the U.S. in 1998, spoke to the concert audience about the project during intermission.
“Concordia College gave us 100 computers that were no longer needed. Microsoft Incorporated gave us all new software for the computers. This will put technology into the hands of top students in top schools in Ghana,” said Ardayfio. “We need to raise the money for shipping the computers to Ghana. It will cost about $12,000.”
Ardayfio, an admissions counselor and technical consultant at Concordia College-Moorhead, persuaded the college to donate the computers, and obtained the software donation from Microsoft. When Ardayfio left Ghana in 1998, there were no computers available to students at any school in the nation. He is eager to help Ghanaian students get access to computer technology so that they can help their country economically when they finish school.
The benefit concert raised several hundred dollars toward the goal of shipping computers to schools in Ghana. Anyone interested in receiving more information about the project can contact Arday Ardayfio at 218-299-3004, or Rowland Joiner at Quantum Connections International, 594-7196.
The St Cecilia Trio will perform its next concert on March 19 at 3 PM at the Motley United Methodist Church. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Seeking Partners - Quantum Connections Board Meeting

Prince Amattoe, a graduate student at MSUM and also from Ghana and I visited Wadena to attend the board meeting for Quantum Connection to share our project and show them the donated software we received.

It was a very good meeting, they decided to be our partners for the project. Check them out at http://www.q-connections.org/

Concordia Publishes Story

Read Concordia's story about the Ghana Computer Project.
Click Here

Microsoft Donates Software

It was the most exciting email I received about the computers project.
Microsoft agreed and donated software with retail value up to $150,000. The software donated were Microsoft Office 2003, Windows XP and Visual Studio .Net.
Ye Da wase. THANK YOU THANK YOU MICROSOFT. We appreciate this gesture. Thank You.

Ask Microsoft for Software

I approached my very good Concordia classmate Meghann Poku (Wilkinson) who is currently employed by Microsoft about the possibility of Microsoft donating software for the computers. They initially thought I was thinking about software for only 10 computers but they still came through when I confirmed there were 100 computers.
She talked to Babs Coler also at Microsoft whose daughter is a current student at Concordia andthey decided to check into it. I hope they approve our request.
I requested 100 Windows XP as the operating system; Microsoft Office and Microsoft Visual Studio .Net for programming.

Gateway Nissan

I didn't know whether to cry or laugh when I got a call from the mechanic. I am going to Minneapolis for David Crowder concert on Saturday. Everytime I have to take a major trip, I usually take my car for check up, change my oil and make sure there are no surprises. I wasn't quite ready for this surprise.

Theresa from Gateway Nissan called and said the front axle shafts were dry because the container was leaking and for safety reasons it had to be fixed immediately to avoid a lock up of the tires. "What is the worst case scenario, how much time do I have," I said. She replied, "the technician does not advise you to travel or drive it without fixing." I have no other choice, its going to cost me about $600 but it has to be done. I was so not ready for it but here comes the best service I have received from a mechanic.

I gave them the go ahead to fix it, they promised they could get if done by 4PM. Scott gave me a ride to Concordia and they picked me up when it was done. I thought I had a coupon either in my car or my office for about $50 off but couldnt find it in the car. Since I was coming from home, I did not pick it up from the office. Ryan and Theresa did all they could to accomodate my request, had a lot of patience to give me the best treatment.

Gateway Nissan has been very caring and this is not the first time. Safety of the customer comes first. A simple oil change and they check everything from brakes to safety. That is great service and even though the price was unexpected and shocking, the treatment softened the blow.