Marie-Louise Annan

A gregarious Leader, passionate about People, Organic & Regenerative Farming, Sustainable Fashion and Redemptive Entrepreneurship, Marie-Louise Annan is a staunch advocate of Servant Leadership and driving Impact Investing in Ghana and other countries on the African Continent. From the age of about 10, she has been passionate about the economic development of Ghana and the African Continent as a whole.

"I used to watch the International news with my parents and could not understand why what was shown about our African continent was always negative (very much the same still). This led me to focus on studying Social Sciences in Senior Secondary/High School and subsequently Economics with French (BSc. Hons.) at the University of Kent, Canterbury; U.K. - my initial focus was to work for the U.N/World Bank as I saw them as key organisations in changing this narrative.

"I used to watch the International news with my parents and could not understand why what was shown about our African continent was always negative (very much the same still). This led me to focus on studying Social Sciences in Senior Secondary/High School and subsequently Economics with French (BSc. Hons.) at the University of Kent, Canterbury; U.K. - my initial focus was to work for the U.N/World Bank as I saw them as key organisations in changing this narrative."

"In my 3rd year of University, I felt strongly that my life's call was to 'work from the People up, rather than from Institutions down' in order to bring change in the lives of people, communities and nations, and that business is a key factor in effecting this change - especially Agribusiness. I am confident the Christian Faith plays a significant role in the eradication of Poverty and I have been working on how best Christian groups, NGO's, International Development organisations, corporate and local businesses as well as Governments can work together to achieve the eradication of poverty."

"3 theses I have written on this are: ' The Problems of Developing Countries Dependent on Primary Commodities – A Case Study of Ghana©; 'The Great Commission: Equipping the Global Church in the fight against Poverty in Africa©' and; 'Missions and Development Work as One©'."

"To this effect I set up The Mishkan Group - a people-centric, tech-enabled social impact startup where we 100% organically farm high grade non-gmo Cotton and process into threads, yarn, fabrics and more, using sustainable and regenerative practices to sell to businesses globally. Our business model uses a vertically integrative and circular Agribusiness model. We work with disadvantaged individuals begging on the streets, especially individuals with physical disabilities, by employing a redemptive model that offers training and employment which pays above current minimum wage levels. We are still early stage and have developed our proof-of-concept and have recently been awarded a Grant which we are using towards developing our MVP."

"From the age of 10 my life's trajectory and the choices I have made - especially regarding my education, has had one focus, and that is to change the false narrative about Ghana and the African continent, to build communities, lift people out of abject poverty and influence the policies that can see through these changes. I have come to understand, what I call the 'Depth of Time'; meaning the Foundations that have been set, that the length of time has afforded us - to learn, to break-down, to build and re-build, that will enable us build businesses, systems, economies that will last for centuries and generations to come." '