By Kim Mailes, American Red Cross

According to the ancient story of the tower of Babel, humans spoke one language until hubris splintered us into a thousand tongues. Yet, one common vocabulary survived, the universal language of compassion. Communicating as one, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent is guided by a single mission: to alleviate human suffering, to protect life and health, and to uphold human dignity during emergencies.

Exemplifying this spirit, Afful Fosu will fit right in as the newest Missouri-Arkansas Region American Red Cross volunteer. Despite having journeyed 6,000 miles from Ghana to pursue his doctorate, a first priority was to contact the Red Cross. “I still have to offer my services to mankind,” he said. “I really have a passion to give back to society.”

Afful has been involved with the Red Cross since 2001, starting as a member of the first aid team in his native country. A leading cause of human suffering and anxiety in Ghana is road traffic accidents, and he became an instructor in a nationwide campaign to educate drivers and pedestrians in basic first aid techniques to reduce the increasing number of fatalities. That experience led to his becoming a member of the elite team providing first aid services during Ghana’s premier league soccer matches.

He also served as Chairman of the Techiman Branch of the Ghana Red Cross, the equivalent of an American Red Cross Chapter Executive Director. In this role he set meeting agendas, established goals and objectives for volunteers, and represented the Red Cross to outside parties in a professional manner.

His administrative skills and devotion to the mission of the Red Cross led to international training and exposure. In 2010 he was a delegate to the Quality Health Care Promotion Conference in Finland, and in 2016 he attended the Workshop on Disaster Response on Population Movement in Kumasi, Ghana. With political unrest rampant during a time of presidential and parliamentary elections, Red Cross volunteers were selected and trained to prepare for disasters and population movement that might arise.

The complexities of arriving in a new country to pursue a doctorate would occupy most people exclusively. But Afful’s passion to serve others and a strong desire to increase his capacity as a humanitarian motivated him to become part of the Missouri-Arkansas Region of the American Red Cross.

“I developed a passion for assisting the needy in society from childhood when going to children’s church services in Ghana,” he said. “Moreover, my parents taught me how it is essential to help others. So, I have this in mind that anywhere I find myself with the little I can do to help society, I will surely do my best.”

As a volunteer with the Greater St. Louis Chapter of the Missouri-Arkansas Region, Afful has been assigned as a Disaster Action Team Recovery Specialist trainee, part of the team that responds to localized disasters. In this role, he will provide follow-up services to those who suffer home fires or other events. Recovery Specialists contact those affected to determine if they need ongoing assistance, and then stay connected with them for weeks, or even months, to provide the support needed to rebuild their lives.

Afful describes himself as a Christian, married with two children. His family remains in Ghana, but he is working to bring them to join him as he pursues his studies. His plans are to study at St. Louis University for two years while pursuing his doctorate, then work in the U.S. for another year or two after graduating to pay his school fees before returning to Ghana.

“I want to gain cross-cultural experience in an international setting from the American Red Cross and learn new things to help me give back to my society when I return to my home country,” he said.

In a world filled with strife, with nations warring against nations, and even common societies fractured, it is easy to despair. But one common language transcends all strife, the expression of compassion. The Missouri-Arkansas Region of the American Red Cross welcomes Afful Fosu, a brother in our common mission to alleviate human suffering.