Meet our Team

Ms. Naeem is a native "Buckeye" born and raised in Columbus Ohio. Professionally she served many communities as a Licenced Social Worker and Behavioral Health Professional.

Ms. Na'eem is known for her compassion and commitment to those she has both worked with and provided services.

The Harambee Leadership Academy was established in 2011, focusing on community and leadership development. 

Makeda Naeem 

Founder, The Harambee Leadership Academy 

Mr Bill Ryan is also from Columbus Ohio. He joined the Harambee Leadership Academy team in 2011 as Board Vice President and Chief Fiscal Officer.

Mr. Ryan, also a veteran, retired in 2016 and relocated to Kingstree SC. 

Co-founder of SC Food Cooperative and Chief Fiscal Officer.  

A successful entrepreneur, he is also owner of a water restoration business.

Dale Larson joined the Harambee Academy board of directors in 2011. At the time he resided in Greer, Ohio near the Amish country.  He is the founder of Ohio Food Cooperative, a non profit  and Cascade Gardens Cooperatives. 

Currently Mr Larson has relocated to Ontario Canada, and has joined SC Food Cooperative as Executive Adviser.

Dale is also a serial entrepreneur and inventor.

Bernard Singleton is the co- founder of Nebedaye Farms and the Bennu Gardens Project in North Carolina. Singleton  being of Gullah decent showcases  culturally connected crops such as indigo and rice, as well as elevating Africa's Botanical legacy in the Americas through our African Botanical garden which receive a design award from the practice Grant foundation. We see our farm projects as a way to address food insecurity in local communities by reintroducing culturally connected crops that can lead to greater compliance and help more African Americans reconnect with the land and Great Botanical legacies of our ancestors. Nebedaye Farms is a member of the North Carolina Agritourism Networking Association, Carolina Farm Stewart Association member, Citizen Science Association member, advisory board member for Carolina Farm Trusts, community partners for black farmers group member and  has been chosen as farm of the year 2022 and chosen as one of QCity Metro's Great 28 an annual list of Black Charlotteans who are shaping our city. I am also featured in the Living Archives project a collaboration between the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library, Johnson C Smith University, the Levine Museum and the Duke Center for Documentary Studies. We have also partnered with Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment and Dr Biswanath Dari

Agriculture and Natural Resource Specialist, North Carolina A&T State University  specializing in biochar.

Currently I am  working  in Ghana and Liberia working with local rice farmers, providing solar power refrigeration unit for farmers in the rural areas and developing a recycling facility and biochar productions in Liberia

Ripley, WV

Mary Thomas is our partner in West Virginia

• Fresh Deer Meat
• Home Baked Goods
• Canned Goods

Faith Based Initiative

Senior Citizens

Sick and Shut In

Homeless

Veterans