Liberia’s Philanthropist MacDella Cooper Gets Global Ambassadorial Position
January 24, 2015
Liberia’s philanthropist, MacDella Cooper has been selected among thousands of woman and men around the world as Global Ambassador for IMPACT Leadership 21.
The role of Ms. Cooper as Global Ambassador for IMPACT 21 is to engage men as powerful tools for gender equality and lobby/advocate for gender parity at the top level with national governments, civil society organizations and global leaders.
MacDella will also in collaboration with IMPACT 21 and global organizations provide tools, resources, opportunities and channels that equip women to succeed as leaders in a global environment thereby inspiring emerging global leaders to be catalysts for change.
MacDella Cooper is a Liberian, born in Monrovia in the late 1970s and was among thousands of Liberians that fled the country during the 14 years long bloody war. She resided in Ivory Coast as a refugee and later went to the United States of America where she landed in the besieged streets of Newark, New Jersey; and attended the Barringer High School coming 3rd in a class of 1,200 students.
Due to her eloquence and passion for excellence and self-development, Ms. Cooper received a full scholarship to the college of New Jersey and graduated with a degree in Electronic Communications.
After working with several multinational companies such as Marketing and Events Coordinator for Jones Apparel Group, developing a comprehensive marketing strategy for Ralph Lauren, Ann Klein, Eredi Pisano and Duca Sartoria; MacDella decided to look across oceans and borders.
In 2004, she founded the MacDella Cooper Foundation (MCF) as an International non-for-profit Charity organization to give hope and life to orphans and the less fortunate through the provision of educational opportunities and basic necessities in the land of her father’s birth, Liberia.
She has over the years succeeded in doing just that.
To fast track the goal of her vision, Ms. Cooper, in 2010 opened the MCF Academy; Liberia’s first tuition-free boarding school that provides quality education, safe and better livelihood for hundreds of children.
The academy is located in Charlesville, Margibi County, six miles from the RIA.
MacDella has never held onto her past. She is today used as a motivational speaker around the world to inspire people who are going through the toughest moments this world has to offer.
She had overturned her status from a refugee to the refuge itself.
The Liberia’s Beauty Opra and humanitarian runs annual youth and adolescent girls’ development conferences in Liberia and the US. Some of these conferences include: She’s The Way Summit, The Liberia National Youth Leadership Conference and the Fashion For Peace Runway Show.
In support of women and youth empowerment, MacDella had established the Teens & Youth Volunteer Club, and the Victoria’s Vocational Training and Wonder Ministry.
The Teens & Youth Volunteer Club offers services to institutions free of charge and its members get support through scholarship and personal development from Ms. Cooper.
As an influential global figure in business, politics and diplomacy, and a champion for humanity, MacDella currently sits on many Board of Directors to include the Segal Family Foundation, Red Cross Tiffany Circle, the American International School in Monrovia, and the AAW Peace.
Recognizing her efforts in bettering the lives of others she has received numerous awards such as The Spirit of Friskies Award, The Archbishop of Michael K. Frances Achievement Awards, The American Red Cross Humanitarian Award, and The College of New Jersey Humanitarian Award. Ms. Cooper has also received the Momentum Women Award and The Victor E. Ward Community Service Award all of which she had dedicated to the Liberian Child and women of Africa.
Ms. Cooper presently lives in Manhattan, New York and Monrovia; and has been a major force in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus not just in Liberia, but in the Sub-region.
She in December of 2014 hosted the “Africa United Against Ebola” to supply Personal Protective Equipment to health facilities and help cater for children who have lost their parents as the results of the Ebola pandemic.
Commenting on her new responsibility, MacDella see it as a new challenge for her to open more doors of opportunities for women and inspire them to a greater height. She called on women not to see themselves as followers, but leaders. She urged women especially adolescent girls to engage society more positively and turn every situations into opportunities not just for themselves for at least for one other live.
MacDella’s life goal is to produce through her Academy leaders of tomorrow who take pride in country and self thereby inspiring others for change.
Source: SPY Ghana
