Akosua Arkhurst, AACO’s founder and director, grew up in the village of Dampong until she went away for school at the age of 9. She moved to the U.K. in her twenties and then spent a few years back in Africa before returning to London with her children. Akosua’s vision for helping the people of Dampong and the surrounding area was born during her time back on African soil and deepened upon her return to London.

In addition to her work with AACO, Akosua pastors The Word Church in Peckham. Sent out by London’s Kensington Temple, Akosua  pioneered The Word Church as one of its satellite churches.

Akosua is driven by the sense of calling God has given her for addressing poverty and caring for the people of Ashanti Akim. She is also driven by an indignation toward man-made poverty.

“Africa is rich,” she notes. “The area where we are working is a rich agricultural area, but the farmers are still doing subsistence level farming. The world is not short of resources, so there is no reason the people of Ashanti Akim should not participate in abundance. My anger is against artificial scarcity. The people of Ashanti Akim need to be equipped to tap into the world’s abundance.”

Akosua hopes the fruit of coming alongside the people of Ashanti Akim will create a monument to God, born of obedience to God.