Rising Stars: Meet Ebenezer Norman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebenezer Norman. 

Hi Ebenezer, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a child, born in Liberia, I wondered what life would look like having food every day. There were many days a meal meant a “heaven” to me. The lack of food was not the only thing that was a conundrum to me. It was also the injustice, the poor health system (death/dying was the norm), and safety/human rights missing in my society that I did not experience or know how to feel if it were present. I have been blessed with the same opportunity like Czech-born American politician and diplomat Madeleine Albright, Levi Strauss, and Joseph Pulitzer, which is the opportunity to live in the United States. The severity of the problems mentioned above is so bad that my mind pushes them into an inaccessible corner of the unconscious. This action taken was required for the sake of my own sanity. 

After arriving in the United States and for eight years I had to learn over again. I was like a baby learning a new norm! Quickly, I was able to assimilate the American way both culturally and structurally. I soon realized that a country as great as the U.S. had its own faults. The average American however, consciously or subconsciously, believes it is his or her own responsibility to do what he or she can to help level the playing field for all people equally and not just for those we are most like. I grasp that believing such an idea, has to be intentional. So, I made a purposeful effort to study the lives of great men and women who promoted aspirations of helping others equally. 

After years of studying people like, Dr. King, Gandhi, Thomas Jefferson, and Susan B. Anthony, I’ve made a conclusion. My decision is summed up into the words of German Physicist, Albert Einstein; “Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.” I am only here on a temporary basis until God calls me home. 

That said, please allow me to formally introduce myself; my name is Ebenezer Norman and I am the founder of A New Dimension of Hope – ndhope.org, located in Denver, Co. A New Dimension of Hope is a nonprofit organization that addresses the issues of poverty and illiteracy and is focused on less fortunate children. A few years ago, we built our first school for over 100 children in rural Liberia. Unfortunately, that school got demolished by the Liberian government over a land dispute. We didn’t give up. In 2018, we built our second school for over 1000 children- ten times bigger than the first one. There are 4000 people in this village. Our next goal is built a woman-ran bakery that will create jobs for all 700 women in the village – we believe that creating jobs is the best way to stop poverty. We also believe that once all 700 women are employed, they can help us sustain the school financially! Our goal then is to move to the next village and replicate what we did in this village 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s has been difficult but yet we are hopeful. Like I alluded earlier, our first school got demolished! It was a huge setback for a small nonprofit. I drove Uber for hours and hours to rebuild the second school. We don’t have a support or infrastructure like Red Cross…, Fundraising has been one of biggest struggles. Our current school has over 1000 children. Everyone month it cost us about 4100 to keep the doors open for them. We have done that for two years single-handedly with the help of a few individuals donors. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
https://youtu.be/LVeCG7_EhrM 

I’m philanthropist and global goodwill ambassador that help educate children in rural communities in third-world countries! 

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
Everything we do in life is about taking risk. When our first school got demolished, we were scared because it was the government who demolished our school. We took the risk to rebuild hoping that our action will demonstrate courage. It did! Our risk payoff – we now have over 1000 children in school 

Pricing:

• $10.00usd for 1 desk we need about 1000 desks
• $185.00 per month for average teacher’s salary- we have about 30 teachers

Contact Info:

• Email: norman@ndhope.org
• Website: Ndhope.org
• Instagram: @Ebenezer_norman
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebenezer.norman.5
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/LVeCG7_EhrM

Image Credits:
Crystal Balcom