Alton Harding

Alton is the Founder and President of Hands For Africa. Alton studied International Relations and Economics at CSULB, his discipline came from a strong Christian upbringing where church and Sunday School was as important as going to school. Alton held a position for six years with Encyclopedia Britannica at age 20 and became the youngest diamond pin and 200 sales club winner in the company’s 200 year history, he then held a position at AT&T wireless as a major accounts manager for three years where he won numerous awards and accolades as one of the top account managers in the company. Alton became a business owner soon after his AT&T tenure and owned a very successful 10,000 sq ft banquet facility and restaurant in North Los Angeles. Today, Alton is the successful owner of a real estate development firm in Orange County. While Alton was born in Manhattan New York, he attended Jr. High and High School in Sierra Leone. Alton Harding has been involved with many charitable organizations, that have inspired him to organize Hands For Africa to provide support for victims of the atrocities of war in Africa.

Alvin Yandie Fashu-Kanu, Esq

Alvin is an Attorney at Law at a Premier International Law Firm and is based in the Firm’s Orange County office. As a member of the Intellectual Property, Media & Technology Department, Alvin focuses his practice on the preparation and prosecution of foreign and U.S. patent applications relating to telecommunications, computer networks, digital and analog circuits, computer software, computer security, clean technology and medical devices. Alvins’s practice emphasizes client counseling in all aspects of intellectual property related matters, including patent and technology licensing, trademark and copyright law, infringement analysis and due diligence investigations. Prior to becoming an attorney, Alvin was an electrical engineer. Alvin is admitted to practice in California and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Licensing Executive Society. In law school, Alvin was the Chair of the Student Intellectual Property Law Association, the President of the Black Law Students Association, Attorney General for the North East Black Law Students Association and served as a student mentor for the American Intellectual Property Law Association. In these roles, Alvin organized and participated in several events and presentations and volunteered his time to multiple causes. Alvin received his J.D. from the Franklin Pierce Law Center. He earned his M.S. in electrical engineering from Syracuse University and his B.S. in electrical engineering from California State Polytechnic University. Alvin was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone and attended Jr. High and High School in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Nemahun Stevens White

Nemahun is a Special Education Teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School district, with over 30 years of teaching experience. Her teaching experience, in particular special education experience, range from kindergarten to secondary level. Nemahun is a versatile and dedicated child advocate with a solid focus on the individual needs of Special Education students. Nemahun has a vast range of experience in the Educational Field that stems from living or teaching in African countries, European countries and in the United States of America. Nemahun received her Bachelors from the Mount Vernon University in Washington, D.C. with a focus in Early Childhood Education. She earned her Masters degree in Educational Administration, Credentials in Educational Administration and Education Specialist Instruction from California State Los Angeles. Nemahun’s experience and dedication to education, particularly with respect to those with special needs, renders her very valuable to Hands For Africa. Nemahun is dedicated to the cause of Hands for Africa and she is particularly excited for the opportunity to work with children who are amputated and children of amputated parents. Nemahun is the wife of Sinclair White, a mother of five children, one grandson, and another grandson on the way. Nemahun resides in Lakewood, California.

Rev. Olu Harding

Rev. Harding is an ordained elder and member of the Wyoming Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is currently serving as pastor of the Elm Park United Church in Oneonta, NY. Rev. Harding earned his Bachelor’s degree in economics from Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone (affiliate of Durham University, England), his Masters degree in International Relations and Public Administration from the University of Maryland and his Masters degree in Divinity from Boston University. Before he received his call to the ordained ministry, he served as a career diplomat in the Sierra Leone Foreign Services, rising to the rank of Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Nigeria with accreditation to Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Egypt. He was subsequently appointed Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Russia), with accreditation to Poland, Czech and Slovak Republics, East Germany, Hungary and Romania. Rev. Harding got his call to the Ordained Ministry while he was serving as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Russia. His strong Christian background enabled him to make a smooth transition from the secular world to his present religious vocation. In his present role as pastor, he serves on various Boards and organizations of the United Methodist church, including, the Wyoming Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the General Commission on Christian Unity and Inter-religious Concerns, National Council of Churches, World Assembly and the Oneonta Clergy Group. Rev. Harding is married to Essie Harding, an Attorney, and they have a combined family of seven adult children and six grandchildren.