Founders of AMAC Foods – Penelope and Kwamena Cudjoe – are a Ghanaian-
American couple who started their company in the US out of love for Ghanaian and African dishes and the need to make cooking nutritious, convenient and easy for all.
Through AMAC Foods, they provide high-quality food products to domestic and
international clients and their key product, EasyN Tasty Jollof rice, was launched four years ago. EasyNTasty is a Ghanaian formulated prepackaged rice using unique blends of homegrown West African recipes dating back 150 years to produce two varieties, spicy and mild Jasmine and Parboiled Jollof rice.
Indeed, Penelope and Kwamena decided bringing AMAC Foods to Ghana would be
perfect during the Year of Return – a massive campaign by Ghana’s Tourism
Authority to commemorate 400 years since the first slave ship arrived in Jamestown, Virginia USA in 1619 and to reunite African-Americans and the Diaspora to their Ghanaian roots.
Pene says emphatically: “Our trip to Ghana was beyond our expectations.”
There is nothing perfect on earth…but in my opinion, if we really want to attribute such an idea to a human being, then it will go to women. Women are perfect for this moment in history. Research shows that when women are able to fully develop their potential in the labor market, their respective countries can grow their GDP. The world is yet to understand how valuable we are.
If there is any advice I would want to give, I would say: “Take a good look at yourself: you are Precious, Energetic, Radiant, Friendly, Efficient, Caring, Terrific = PERFECT”. Don’t accept the bad report you may receive from society. You can be so much more than you think! You could be the solution this world needs.
How do you get there?
1– Believe in yourself (you are talented, you are strong, you are smart = No man, not even the strongest can juggle with all your duties for a long time. You can wash, clean, cook, give birth, take care of children, of your man, of his family, of your family, of yourself at the same time and for as long as you live… That should tell you how strong you are).
2– Believe you can make it: (if you are able to do all the above with passion and patience, what is there that you can’t do? Remember when you don’t give up on hurts from your children, your man, his family, your family, the society and that you still find a way of moving forward, loving more and doing more, that’s the spirit of a winner. Don’t quit!)
3– Give yourself the chance to make it:
*Educate yourself: (learn, fight for knowledge; don’t let anything stop you from knowing more; not a pregnancy, not a guy, not even money. As a student, if you engage in a relationship learn about family planning. If your guy does not want you to study, then he doesn’t want your happiness, because knowledge is light! If money is the problem, then don’t be afraid to sell water, salt, or sweets, to help further your education… I know what I’m talking about).
* Get a job and become financially independent. Don’t stay home and be a receiver… Nobody values beggars! What happens if that man leaves you or dies? Who is going to take care of you and your family?… Learn to gain and share. VALUE lies in it. It’s not only about the salary, it is also because working helps build networks and opens doors to limitless and profitable experiences. It helps you grow as a person, to know that you are contributing to the development of your society in your little corner… Get a Job!
*Make God the center of your life: (respect God by following His commands, you will avoid a lot of misfortune in your life and you’ll give yourself a better chance to get where you want to be and where you should be… for instance, if you don’t steal, you stand better chances not to go to prison… if you don’t prostitute yourself, you stand better chances to avoid unwanted pregnancies and STD s…).
Have you failed somewhere? It is never too late… Where there’s life, there’s hope… So stand up and LEARN to get what you want, how you want it, and when you want it.
We want to encourage this generation and the next.
The way forward, I believe is to learn from the past. Learn from the mistakes yes, but we should also take evidence of good things and use them. Use them as guideposts, so that we don’t waste time reinventing the wheel, as they say.
I asked a family friend, Adwoa Sey for her input. An input that can benefit everyone.
She wrote back and said: “I think we should read more and write more. We get busy with family and may be tired at the end of the day, but we should definitely read more. I also think we should write more, whether on blogs or on fledgling books!”
“We should write about our experiences, what has helped us get through our life and our work experiences. We shouldn’t leave everything to the journalists!”
WOMAN IS KEY® 