Episode 03 Operation Crossroads Africa

My name is Zaakirah Muhammad, and you are listening to the Living Legacy Podcast. I am a brand cultivating strategist and photographer. What that means is I help you to make your social media pages look good. At 6 months old, a camera saved my life. At 9 months old, I was officially dubbed a cancer survivor. I have been in 10 countries, including Ghana, West Africa, The Gambia, Senegal, and South Africa. Now it's my turn to teach and inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone. And this podcast will feature women I admire Have met as they share stories about professionalism, entrepreneurship, business, travel, life, marriage, and how we got connected. Lo and behold, I may interview some of my favorite men too. Please be sure to subscribe and download. Today's episode is all about Operation Crossroads Africa. Operation Crossroads Africa was the organization in which I first got the opportunity to travel to Mother Africa. My first African country was Ghana, and that changed and impacted my life so much that I ended up going to more than one African country. So as of 2019, I have been to 4 African countries. And I'm even married to a West African. Now, this interview, which I'm very excited about, I had the pleasure to interview Jackie or Jacqueline Kekembo. She is now auntie. You know, I had a lot of aunties growing up, not necessarily siblings of my parents, but the mother figures that just looked out for me. Jacqueline Hardaway Kekembo is currently a retired nurse But by now she's a happy grandma, but also an advocate for African relations. She is also the current chairperson of the D.C., Maryland, Virginia Operation Crossroads Africa Alumni Association. I first met Jackie through a friend of my dad. My dad, when he was traveling on the road, he would visit a friend in Washington, D.C., whose brother he knew in Atlanta. So my dad attended, you know, it was a recruiting event, and my dad just kind of excitedly called me because I was still living in Florida with my mom, and he was like, I think this is gonna be a great opportunity for you. You should find out more about it. You should apply. And this was my senior year in high school, so I don't even know if I was thinking about what I'm gonna do after high school at that time because it's a summer program. It's been around since 1958. It's actually the Peace Corps before the Peace Corps, and it will change your life. The trip will change your life, but it's an immersive and also budget-friendly program. You are intentionally set to go to a rural area in an African country, and you are supposed to really immerse in that culture, in that environment, in that lifestyle for 6 To 8 weeks. Now, 6 weeks of a certain project, whether it's agriculture, it could be arts-related, health or medical-related, or even education-related. My trip was education-related. I got to be a primary school teacher at a school in Ghana, a primary school, which is considered elementary school over there in Ghana. So I ended up connecting with Jackie, and she basically helped me to get through the process. Now, for me, I ended up almost applying last minute. She would guide me through the steps to apply, and it was like fall of my senior year. And it was a pretty intense application because they really just want to make sure that this is what you want to do. And so she helped me through the application process, and she's literally just been there since day one. I mean, she's amazing. You'll learn in this interview that she's gone at least 10 times as a group leader. It's always been a group leader, but she had— she went as a— As a student. The thing that we had in common is that we were both the youngest in our groups because it's typically known for it to be— you have to be at least 18 years old in order to go on the trip. So she too was 18 years old, a freshman in college. So in her interview, she will share how she found out about the program and why she stuck with the organization for 50 years and some of her favorite memories from some of her favorite trips. It's gonna be an amazing interview. I hope you can bear with me when it comes to the audio because it gets a little bumpy, but she has such an amazing aura about her and I'm so happy to call her my auntie. And I want to give a huge thank you to Jackie Kekembo for taking the time out to do this interview. We were literally at her cousin's house, so you may even hear her cousin in the background. I want to say a huge thank you for taking the time out because she is such a busy woman. I also want to send a huge thank you to you for continuing to be a listener because I know you too are also very busy. What are your Crossroads years and countries, in order?

In order, my first Crossroads experience was in Sierra Leone in 1965. I was assigned to Bo.

Freetown.

Freetown in Sierra Leone, 1965, where I was still, well, it was the end of my freshman year at Hampton Institute, which is now Hampton University. And my next experience was not until 2003. What happened in between is all about life, just, you know, becoming a mother, becoming a wife, Becoming a mother and all the things that happened in that space while living abroad in Germany and Liberia. So 2003, we had moved back to America and I had my first opportunity again with Operation Crossroads Africa as a volunteer group leader. And my experience with Crossroads in 1965, I was a nursing student and I went as a volunteer. In 2003, I went back as a group leader. I went back as a group leader and the country was Niger. That was in 2003. After the first project in Niger, it was very clear that We would continue projects in Niger, and I had the wonderful opportunity, I believe it was in 2005, 2006, to go back to Niger. I went back again in 2008 as group leader, also to Niger. The first 2 projects were— actually, the first project was at the National Museum. We worked with the collection, with the staff of the National Museum, collecting, you know, sorting and archiving their art objects at the National Museum, which were representative of all of the different ethnic groups of the entire country of Niger. So we worked on that project. The second project was an educational and recreational summer project. Where we taught English and worked with the youth in the urban regions surrounding the capital of Niamey. The third and last project was a medical project in Agadez, which is very far to the northern region of Niger, and there we had a medical project. The plan was to continue returning to Niger because continuity and ever-reoccurring presence of Crossroads in a country is very, very important. So I had hoped to be a part of that, you know, seeing that Crossroads maintained a presence in Niger. Unfortunately, due to a lack of security, it was not possible for Operation Crossroads Africa to continue its projects in Niger. Our doors closed in Niger, the opportunity opened up for us to re-enter Togo, and because stability had returned, sanctions had been removed by the State Department, we were then able to meet their request, and it turned out to be a phenomenal opportunity and experience to renew this relationship that we had with Togo again. The young women in my group had a very wonderful relationship, companionship, camaraderie with the young counterparts from the university, and even though we were in an Islamic country again, And it was during the Ramadan time. They were able to observe how that impacts their cultural experience. That was actually one of our best experiences because our, our program organizers were so committed. But going on a medical project to The Gambia showed me that as much as every project brings the same kind of characteristics with it, different projects, different volunteers, there's always a common thread. And I have to say that after having served 3 years in Niger, another year in Togo, and then The Gambia, I was asked to be group leader to Uganda. The reason we went to Uganda, because of my contacts and my relationships in Uganda through my husband, Dr. Henry Kakembo, and accept a project at an orphanage which had about 300 students. It was a primary school, nursery to primary. There were about 300 students on a daily basis. But what has kept me so much involved in Crossroads is that You know, some people— for some people, Crossroads, even though it may impact their lives— Different crossroaders, and I would say for the majority of volunteers, once you have become a part of the Crossroads family, once you have participated as a volunteer or a group leader, it becomes so much a part of your life. And it can impact you to the extent that almost every life choice you make is based on some experience or exposure you got while you were in Africa. We're talking about close to 50 years. And those years that I have not been able to go back, I have stayed active in other, in other ways, whether it is through recruiting, I don't— I hardly have a conversation with anyone in my life that Crossroads does not come up because it's become that much a part of me. I first found out about Crossroads in— that had to have been because I went in the summer of 1965, which was the end of my freshman year at Hampton, and I would say maybe 6 months prior to that Reverend Robinson, the founder of Crossroads, visited Hampton Institute. After the meeting with Dr. Robinson, he spoke to us in our chapel. There were, I believe, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of us that were interested in the program, and 2 of us ended up actually signing up and getting the support of the school to become volunteers with Operation Crossroads Africa. Myself and Donald Scoggins. I knew when I left Boston, where I had graduated from high school, that I always knew that I wanted to go back to Africa. I always knew that. And so when I heard about an opportunity with Operation Crossroads Africa at Hampton University, the furthest journey that I had made was— I would by that time probably to Georgia, where my father's family was from. And I had made trips out west where my mother's family is from, Texas, but I had never traveled outside of the United States. And I would say traveling outside of America, it just, it just was an eye-opening experience. It made you realize how small the world really is.

Yeah.

And how similar, even though there are so many cultural and traditional differences, just It made you realize how similar people are in their aspirations and their goals, no matter where you go in the world. And it just made me feel like you can go anywhere you want to go in this world, and you can do anything you want to do at any given time. And from that time on, I never was reluctant or hesitant, and not that I was even reluctant when it was time to go to Africa. I was ready to do that. But just going to Africa with Crossroads, crossing the Atlantic, just made it like commonplace. This is what you're supposed to do for the rest of your life. Now, what made Crossroads different from any other Well, you know, it's, it's difficult for me to say what made Crossroads different because at that time I had nothing else to compare Crossroads to. And quite honestly, at that time, 1965, there weren't many other organizations out there. Yes, there were missionaries who had been going to Africa and serving the communities all over the world, all over Africa. that would give you that opportunity to spend an entire summer working and living at a grassroots level in a community as part of a family, working on a project that the community has invited you to come and participate in. I didn't know of anything else like that. And Crossroads actually led to the Peace Corps. So Peace Corps wasn't even around at that time. Crossroads was it. That was all. So I had nothing to compare it by until, of course, years later, after Peace Corps and after various church programs and university programs, private nonprofit organizations, travel associations started to offer opportunities for people to go and have a volunteer experience For me, Crossroads will always be unique. But Crossroads fortunately has stayed true to the mission of Dr. Robinson. We have stayed true. There has been very little change in the way our projects are carried out to 1965 when I went as a university student. Yes, the times have changed. Technology has just moved us into another plane altogether, but Crossroads has stayed and remains true to Dr. Robinson's vision.

What type of volunteers does Crossroads look for?

So as a group leader, I am responsible for working with any type of person that comes into the, to the program. Now, if you really want to know what type of person does Crossroads look for, that's— I, I really think that's a question for the people who make those decisions.

Let me reiterate that.

Yes. So why should someone I think that a person should join Crossroads who has an honest and earnest, deep desire and compassion to work in a community Where they know absolutely nothing. A person who is open enough, flexible enough, and caring enough to, regardless of the day-to-day challenges, To be able to relate to the people, to respect the people, to appreciate the people to the extent that they understand that they really have more to receive and learn than they could ever give in that community. And accept that there are limitations. And figure out in that situation how you can best make the most of it, even with your limitations. Because I find, you know, nobody can make your experience for you. Your group leader can't do it. Your counterparts can't do it. You have to work from within. You have to— and that's why they say that Crossroads— and this is what might be so unique about it— Crossroads tells you right from the beginning, this will change your life, but it will only change your life if you allow the experience to do so. You can go in and just block out everything that's happening around you that is supposed to move you to another level of maturity, another level of insight, another level of caring. You have to open yourself up. In some cases, if you have a volunteer who can't get out of that, who are restricted in, you know, that ability to open up, then, you know, they don't get the entire benefit of the experience and the exposure. The ones who can, who are free enough and adventurous enough to just throw themselves into it and let it happen, They come out of it rewarded. But unfortunately, even the ones who sign on for the program, if they can't do that, they come back missing a lot. A lot. And so that's something that it must be very difficult for the people who make the selection of volunteers to determine. How do you look at an application and know Oh, this is a person who will make it. And try as a group leader just to make sure that everybody comes back home safe, in good health, and I mean that they've had an extraordinary experience, a life-altering change. That is a real bonus.

Describe Crossroads in one word.

I would say it's, it's a real eye-opener.

And then the last question, tell me about one favorite memory or experience.

You know, that is really a very difficult question for me. I very honestly cannot say that there has been After all of these years, one specific incident that stands out as being the experience? Um, and maybe it's because I've had in the course of those years so many different experiences. It's like they're all pieces of the puzzle for me that come into place, and there's not one Specific. Now, if I were asked what is in within one week, in one country, in one year, on any given day, I might be able to narrow it down.

Tough. So how about you tell me about an experience in The Gambia?

An experience in The Gambia. I would say in The Gambia, the first most impressive experience, we were welcomed by a group of women that had been organized by the directors of the hospital and the coordinators, the counterparts, our co-partners. Throughout the time we were at Soma Health Clinic. They organized our welcome for us. And as soon as we got off the bus, the Gambian women that approached us dancing, singing, embracing us, but the way they welcomed us was powerful. And they had with them a woman by the name of Nyako Manjang. And in The Gambia, it's customary that when you arrive, you are given a Gambian name. So every single person that day, part of our welcome was also a naming ceremony which took place at night. And we all were fed, feasted. I mean, from the time we got off the bus at 11 o'clock that morning until at least 11 o'clock at night, they had not stopped celebrating our arrival. Now, that was, as far as welcomes go, that was probably the most impressionable welcome that we have received in any country that I've ever gone to. Nyako Manjang, and by the way, she became my— I became her namesake, she became my namesake, and this woman was a very prominent figure, a Mandingo woman. I am still wearing to this day beads that she put on my ankle. And I, I walked with pride through that Gambia because I knew that whenever I said that my name was Nyako, that they knew exactly why I was called Nyako and who Nyako was. So that was a very amazing experience in the Gambia, but there were so many others. But that's just starting with day 1. But there were so many unforgettable experiences throughout our project in the hospital, right until the last night of our farewell, when over 200 people came. And if you're lucky, farewell is never goodbye. And then, of course, the good fortune of being able to participate in a wedding. Of no other than Zaakirah Muhammad and her husband Bunja. And we just had many highlights during the course of that trip, but Gambia was very special. Um, and I think that For those of us that Crossroads has had an impact and been a very meaningful experience for, as soon as we get back to America, we're working on our next opportunity to go back. And it doesn't always have to be the community or the country that we were in, although in most instances we do always try to return and revisit. I am every moment trying to work on recruiting and encouraging anyone who might have the opportunity, because good or bad, and there are varying degrees of that, you should do it if you have the chance. Thank you.

I learned why it was important to travel to Africa. This is 2019, and in the news they have said this is the year of returning to Ghana, the year of return, and which is great. I highly encourage Ghana to be, or any country in West Africa, to be your first ever African country because it's just a completely different vibe. I'm blessed to say that I've been to South Africa, but I'm also glad to say that it was my 4th African country because it's just— there's a lot more history and there's a lot more struggles, I would say, because West Africa is still considered Third World and it's why there's so many misconceptions about Africa. But if you go to South Africa or even Kenya as a first country, you don't necessarily get what I feel is the real authentic experience of Africa. If you decide that this is what you want to do for the summer, I highly encourage you to apply. Now, even though the application deadline is March 15th, if you go to operationcrossroadsafrica.org and click on Apply Now, I assure you that as long as you show your commitment You fill out everything in the application and you show your commitment, and you also include my name. And the most important thing is your commitment. You need to be open-minded. You need to know that you're not going there as a— this isn't a vacation. You're literally ready to give your skills and your expertise and your time, because it's literally a volunteer project, and your time and willing to make new friends. Because the difference is that you can't necessarily go there by yourself. The only time you're by yourself—

Is when you're in the car.

Is getting to the orientation in New York City. That's about it. But other than that, you're gonna become joined at the hip with someone. You have at least 10 people in your group, or sometimes it varies, a minimum of 6, a maximum of 12 people in your group. You're gonna find someone to be joined with by the hip, most often than not. So if you're serious, it's gonna be quite an application. All you need is to fill out your application online, Everything else you can mail in later, but as long as you show your commitment, just use my name, Zaakirah. They know me because I was the one who kind of helped them to get started and really utilize their social media pages for a good 5 years. You can also check them out on social media at Operation Crossroads Africa everywhere. Well, not everywhere. Facebook.

Facebook.

Facebook and Instagram and YouTube are Operation Crossroads Africa, but it's kind of shortened on Pinterest and Twitter to Crossroad Africa, not plural, Crossroad Africa. And hey, you may end up seeing some of my photography on their website because I've done some video and photography work for them as well. So I hope you, whether or not you do consider I would recommend volunteering overseas with Crossroads Africa because I understand that the timeframe is not ideal for everyone. It's basically just a shortened version of the Peace Corps because the Peace Corps can be 2 years. Crossroads Africa is 7 weeks, 7 to 8 weeks. So it's basically a shortened version of the Peace Corps. But even though it's the— you would have to raise the money, there's endless amounts of support, especially it's so easy to create a GoFundMe. But also, if you feel more comfortable with traveling solo, if that's something you want to do, there are so many travel tribes, as I would call them. Because even for me, even though my first few travels out of the country were with a group, by the time I did travel to The Gambia, which is where I ended up officially meeting my husband in person because we were connected through mutual friends, That was technically a solo trip, even though I was on the same flight as the Crossroads Africa volunteers who were going to Gambia that summer, and even though I invited them to my wedding, my elopement in Gambia. My trip to South Africa was solo but not solo because I connected with— it was first a Facebook group and then a WhatsApp group of other men, but mainly women, who were also going to South Africa at the same time. That was through the tribe called Nomadness. And there are plenty of other organizations, but this one is such an extended family of people that look like me, people that are also African American, people of color, which is important because it's so easy— the stereotype is that, you know, Black people don't travel, even though that's false because the travel industry benefits the most from Black people. Even though most of them may not travel out of the country, They do travel. So just check out other organizations that can, you know, help you with traveling solo. There's so many places where other women can just meet up, you know, in other countries. And you don't have to be alone if you don't want to be alone, but if you want to just start out small and you would do— you do want to start off with a group, I definitely encourage applying to volunteer with Operation Crossroads Africa. Thank you for listening to the Living Legacy Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and download so you don't miss the next episode. If you want to learn more, you can visit zaakirahnayar.com.