2023 Power 50: Kaska Yawo
Photo | Courtesy of African Community Education
Kaska Yawo, co-founder & executive director of African Community Education, in Worcester
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Yawo has changed the landscape that immigrants and refugees to the Worcester area encounter when they arrive. The resources ACE provides in the form of education and social services enables independence and community development and has done so increasingly each year since Yawo co-founded the organization in 2007.
ACE started when Yawo went door-to-door around Worcester offering to help newly arrived individuals and families, and he has grown it to be a thriving nonprofit with more than $600,000 in annual revenue. Catching attention from private donors as well as state and federal governments, ACE has multimillion dollar grants and gifts, including $3 million from the federal budget in December, allowing for the unprecedented growth of its programs.
With the $1.8-million purchase in 2022 of a new building to be the organization’s headquarters, ACE now provides a holistic community center that centralizes its offerings and will be built up to add to the services the immigrant community counts on Yawo to provide.
ACE has helped hundreds of students make it through high school and into college, changing their outlooks for the future. ACE helps parents and other adults receive the training they need to become self-sufficient and subsequently contributing members of the regional economy.
How should professionals best use the power they wield? “I believe investing in people is the best use of power wielded by business professionals. Not only does it help our local economy, but we are also able to empower members of our community to be self-sufficient and secure.”
On key: One of Yawo’s hobbies is singing, and he is an alto in the choir at his church.
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