Founder's History
In July 2000, Dr. Perry Kirklin and his wife, Betty, traveled with a tour group to Ghana, West Africa and they met Nana Kwesi Brebo III, chief of Kuntu village. They gave him some school supplies for the Kuntu schools. The next year Perry's family and friends brought more school supplies and other items to Kuntu. Nana Brebo announced that he and the village sub-chiefs and elders wanted to make Perry their Nkosohene, or chief of development. He would be given the name, Nana Kwame Baffoe II. After much thought and consultations with Ghanaians in the U.S., Perry agreed to become Nkosohene of Kuntu.
Perry returned to Kuntu in August 2002 for the Nkosohene installation ceremony. This was a major event for Kuntu. There were 5 days of celebrations. His entire family was "adopted" as part of the Kuntu royal Nsona family and each given an Nsona family name. When he returned to the United States, Perry and Betty, with their daughters Cheryl and Pamela, formed the Kuntu Village Nkosohen Committee-USA, a tax exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, to help Kuntu village.
The mission of Kuntu Village Nkosohen Committee-USA is to help Kuntu reduce poverty and illiteracy. Therefore, our focus is to increase education and self-sufficiency. Since 2005 KVNC-USA has supported over 100 students to attend high school. In 2019 the Ghana government began providing free high school education to those who qualified. Now KVNC-USA supports Kuntu students in their pursuit of higher education. Our business plan is to solicit donations to sponsor students as well as for other humanitarian needs as they arise. KVNC-USA is all volunteer - no one receives remuneration. Donations contribute 100% for Kuntu scholars and other projects. All donations are tax deductible.