EMPOWER AFRICA TIMELINE

Empower Africa was founded by Ezi Rapaport in 2018 out of the vital need to create significant international awareness and impact during a unique window of opportunity to help uplift Sierra Leone.

On April 4th, 2018, the Republic of Sierra Leone concluded its 4th consecutive peaceful election since the civil war which ended in 2002. It elected President Julius Maada Bio and a new government on the promise of a new era of unity and empowerment. Sierra Leone is a country of great historic significance and Empower Africa believes it is essential to not miss this unique window of opportunity. While Empower Africa is a non-political entity it is proud to have worked in strong collaboration with the US Embassy Freetown to support development in the Sierra Leone.

The Rapaport family’s relationship with Sierra Leone began in 2000 when Ezi’s father, Martin Rapaport, Chairman of The Rapaport Group, flew to Sierra Leone during the civil war, on a reconciliation mission to help end the war. Martin was influential in introducing the Clean Diamond Act in US Congress and later in establishing the Kimberley Process which aimed to stop conflict diamonds from funding rebel movements and entering the international markets. After the war, Rapaport and USAID funded rehabilitation programs for people returning home to the Kono District.

Empower Africa’s mission stems from the Rapaport family’s values of developing ethical and transparent trade and from the imperative need to attract a broad range of leaders in the private sector to help drive comprehensive and timely sustainable economic development in Africa.