Staff

Canada Staff

Executive Director

Shannen, the founder of Create Change, has been living and working in Ghana since 2005. Shannen started the Ghana Girls Education Project in 2007, through which she came up with Create Change's video concept.

Although Shannen holds the title as Executive Director, she has thus far acted as: administrator, accountant, field manager, field staff, web designer, graphic designer, camera person, film editor, musician, and fundraiser. With all the time Shannen has spent in the field, she has developed strong relationships with the people and communities that Create Change works with.

Shannen has a BA in International Development and a Masters Degree in Human Rights, and has traveled extensively from Cuba, to Tanzania, to Mongolia. Shannen grew up snowboarding in the mountains, and boating on the Pacific Ocean, and not surprisingly, is from Vancouver.

Eric Sanderson

Videographer

Eric Sanderson is Create Change’s current star videographer. After having graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BFA in film, Eric saw the opportunity to create mini-documentaries in Northern Ghana as a once in a lifetime opportunity. His appetite to learn, experience, and create compelling videos makes him an ideal Create Change film maker.

Eric will be making films about our projects and our staff over the next eight months, which is certainly no easy task. The only Canadian on our team who is full time in Ghana, Eric easy going and positive attitude has allowed him to adapt to the culture in Ghana, and fit right in with the rest of our team.

Over the next eight months Eric certainly has his work cut out for him. However we have no doubt he will produce a number of films that will make us all tear up, as he shows our supporters the wonderful changes they are creating in Northern Ghana.

Eric's staff video coming soon!

Ghana Staff

Samson Abukari

Program Manager

If you ask anyone who works on the Creating Change Team, Samson is an absolute pleasure to work with. He has taken on the daunting position of Program Manager, making him responsible for overseeing our staff, and all of the water and education projects we have to implement.

Samson has worked with non-profits for years, and due to his diplomatic people skills and his strong ability to organize, he quickly rose to become a leader in non-profit organizations. He also spent a year in Texas, learning about agriculture and development.

Having struggled with poverty while growing up himself, Samson has deep compassion for the people with whom we work. A professional teacher by trade, Samson has a notable connection with the girls under sponsorship, and has used his connections with teachers to deepen our knowledge of our sponsored girls personal situations. He is also well versed in community development, and has a wealth of knowledge regarding community politics, and the way projects should be implemented so that everyone’s voice is heard.

Samson is happily married with a son, and everyone at Create Change is thrilled to also have him as part of our family.

Peter Tisakia

Water and Sanitation Officer

Having grown up in a village in Northern Ghana, whose family relied on subsistence farming, Peter Tisakia knows firsthand about what it’s like to live without access to basic needs. When Peter was a kid, he struggled to earn money to pay for his school fees by selling local foods on the street.

Once he had put himself through secondary school, Peter worked as a laborer on construction sites in order to save money to send himself to Tamale Polytechnic, where he earned a degree in Construction Technology. Upon graduating at the top of his class, Peter was selected by a prominent non-governmental organization to work as a water and sanitation officer.

He has worked in the water and sanitation sector for over 7 years, and has also acted as a contractor for several schools, clinics, private homes, and various water facilities including boreholes, hand-dug wells, and rainwater harvesting tanks. Peter is well versed in community animation, and is dedicated to improving the lives of those living in poverty, as he once did himself. Peter is happily married with a six-year old son, Junior, and twin babies, Lawrence and Lawrencia.

Eunice Akpeere

Field Staff

Having grown up in Tamale, Northen Ghana, Eunice is very familiar with the poverty that the majority of Northern Ghanaians face. Eunice, who is acting as field staff, has a passion for development work. With a diploma in Journalism, and having worked with various development initiatives like AIDS education, Eunice has a lot of experience with finding out information in the field.

With her gentle demeanor, authentic spirit and knowledge of local nuances, Eunice has so far been an extremely effective staff member in getting the inside story from rural communities and disadvantaged children. She is currently head field staff for our Girls Education Project, and continues to strengthen Create Change's relationship with all supported students.

Eunice is married with a two year old daughter, and as someone who has seen members of her own family facing poverty, Eunice is committed to making a difference in her community and her country. Eunice has been doing a great job and the Create Change Team is proud to have her on board!

Eunice's staff video coming soon!

Benedicta Ziem

Field Staff

Benedicta Ziem, otherwise known as ‘Mama’, is a field worker for Creating Change. She obtained a diploma from Tamale Polytechnic, and is happily married with a daughter.

Having worked as a volunteer teacher in an impoverished rural area for some time, Benedicta was able to witness the struggle parents, students, and teachers face in terms of providing an education with little to no resources.

Benedicta’s background made her perfect to head our ‘Rural Education Material Projects’. These projects aim to provide rural schools with a reading and writing materials, art supplies, sports equipment, and whatever other supplies will serve to improve the quality of education in rural areas.

All staff agree that Benedicta’s enthusiastic attitude and lovely smile make her a delight to work with.

Benedicta's staff video coming soon!