Today we’d like to introduce you to Quinetha Frasier.
Hi Quinetha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a proud descendant of the Gullah Geechie Historic Corridor, born in Adams Run, South Carolina and I graduated from Charleston County School District schools prepared for success.
I grew up being called a “Black” and “African’ ; while living in the rural south as an American. I had no idea what ‘being African’ meant.
In 2018, when I thought about ‘Returning Home’ to The Motherland, I did not know what physical place on the continent of Africa would be familiar, inviting or opportunistic for me.
I remember when a brilliant economic finance professional, Darrell Glasco, introduced me to the world of impact investments in Atlanta, Georgia USA. I understood, as a leader in impact investment fundraising, and an advisor to hundreds of American social enterprises, the power of connecting catalytic capital to smart ideas. But why Africa? Because this is where I, (and many Black American professionals that I knew) were interested in creating community impact and generational wealth for our children’s children.
The problem was that nobody that I knew in the USA had up-to-date experience with an African business, or thriving upper-income community or educated workforce. With the ‘Year of Return”, many of us rushed to Ghana to give back and invest, much like shadow boxing. We all saw the immense potential for African Americans to “come back home” to places like Ghana and Senegal with small investments that would make a significant financial impact to the local economy.
In 2019, our GFEEM board member, Doug Parsons, (who is now with the ancestors) telephoned me from a parcel of land- near Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi county, Kenya – with a ‘call to action’ to work alongside the leader of a Kenyan women’s economic development group. She was then working to develop land and assign its property value to the ‘Self-Help Organization’s’ 170 female members.
I left Atlanta, GA and committed to spending 6 months of the year on the ground in Kenya, Africa so that I could understand how impact capital mobilizes; whether corporate philanthropy existed, and what (derisked) bankable business opportunities really existed for a Black American entrepreneur in capital centers like Nairobi, Kenya. Being in Kenya was the only way to explore this question firsthand. So, I began playing of 2-3 days a week, and making acquaintances with people who were working ‘for the good’. Since that time, we have cultivated a trust and relationship among a proven network of business, capital and impact leaders from across the East African region.
Being ‘on the ground” I knew that we had an opportunity to create awareness and exposure to bonafide impact organizations, high-growth businesses and innovative financial ventures led by African entrepreneurs, who we could speak for and count on for ethical business transactions. Now, with nearly 400,000 miles flown to Africa since 2018, I am certain that the best strategy for the Black American’s future generational wealth and social security will be in the global African marketplace.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My story has had many deep days of self-evaluation. I have asked myself every year, since 2020, why are you here (Africa)? The biggest struggle has been balancing my ‘natural born’ ambition with a requiired sense of humility that is necessary to truly integrate in to East African culture. Moreover, I challenged myself to not exploit every big business opportunity in a rush to ‘chase that bag’ on the continent. It is tough for an entrepreneur like myself to sit still and wait to be invited to the right business table. The road towards being a trusted leader in Africa has been smoother than most believe; in the sense that this opportunity became concrete the day that I made up my mind, and decided to show up. I have found a true welcoming spirit among the Kenyans for me and my Black American colleagues, that has made it easier to anchor my self, my money and my network in Africa- as a first priority. Today, the challenge before me is to use my voice and presence in the United States among young adults- those with fresh minds and ambitions- to initiate their curiosity and courage, in a way that they consider Africa a place that we already belong to and can explore for their best life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Social Impact Technology LLC ?
My firm is a social enterprise, which means that we are committed to increasing profit and impact. I specialize in what people refer to as ‘impact capital’- money that is explicitly, intentionally, and measurably invested to generate positive social or environmental impact alongside a financial return. It acts as a tool to leverage capital for addressing global challenges.
I am positively different because I am one of the first people in East Africa operating according to this purpose. There is still a grave existence of ignorance held among Americans, related to the African marketplace. People still believe that Africa is a jungle and all the leaders are corrupt and that the only way to come is to ‘give back” and go home. We created a branded cross border community, called the People of Purpose (POP) Network. Its mission is to serve as a powerful gateway for international business tourism and investment discovery missions, effectively transforming the local vendor network into a value-added asset for global guests. We do this by producing:
-Community-based business networking events in North America and Kenya
-Access to educational courses and resources on digital platforms
-Promotion of business ventures and partnerships among a global network of affiliates
Our theory of change: We know that we must first, create an easy way for a Black American to travel to East Africa, then, we deliver high quality digital shows broadcasted, live from Africa to both young and old people of African descent. We couple the digital platform with live events -at HBCUs and with Black Social/Civic organizations- that are designed and catered the unique consumer mind of high net worth Black Americans.
The outcome of these 3 inputs will increase the number of Black Americans that invest, donate or supply goods and services in East Africa, We have a goal to facilitate 90 million USD over the next 5 years into a few high value, innovative ventures in East Africa, led by young Africans (and sometimes Black Americans.) I am partnered with venture capital firm, HiMark Capital, led by Herbert Drayton, to raise a sidecar fund with this purpose.
We believe that when hnw Black Americans travel to Africa byway of our Impact Tours investing between $5,500 – $10,000 per person for a high quality curated vacation in Africa, then they are high times more likely to invest, donate or supply goods and services to specific vendors in Kenya, with less environmental and cultural risk. This value is given in exchange for consultation fees paid to Quinetha and her Kenyan companies, and increases the depth of our cross border ecosystem.
Here is how it works.
First, we organize and market 9-14 day East African Tours, focused on business or cultural exchange for the African American interested in first exploring thier ancestral connection to aFrica. My nonprofit organization, Global Foundation for Education and Economic Mobility, Inc. takes the lead in designing an itinerary that is balanced with fun, safari and cultural competency. The tour delegation typically brings seven or more prominent African American business leaders to Nairobi, immersing them in the local innovation landscape.
For the American business person or investor, this immersive program is focused on intentional matchmaking between our US delegates and Kenya’s premier business leaders. The tour provides a trusted platform for American leaders to form substantive, long-term partnerships with mature enterprises and philanthropic organizations deeply rooted in the East African ecosystem.
We have now hosted 21 cohorts in our Impact tours. Utilizing our new ecosystem leaders- specifically in real estate and infrastructure development, and green manufacturing, we partnered with a Kenyan company, CoreAxis, to develop a dual-track engagement model for our impact Tour participants: We produce workshops & conferences, live from Africa, where we curate and showcase enabling Kenyan partners and industry leaders to pitch their products and services directly to a captive audience of global investors engaged in impact tourism.
We are able to expose our American diaspora ecosystem to high growth ventures and founders because, from my home in kenya, I have built enough trust to commit east African founders to a representative contract, that will increase thier hassle-free engagement and pitches with investors and advisors from the US..
My firm, Social Impact Technology has been my tool in the US to accomplish coalition and ecosystem building across the Southeast for the past 15 years.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
There is a dramatic shift happening across the US- African borders that the African Union coined as ‘Africa Rising’ . I believe, as many, that one of the most powerful business moves African American professionals can make in the next decade… is in Africa.
This is statistically why, and the most significant industry shift for most Western countries and its workers- especially Black Americans.
There are a few current trends to track that will explain the protracted ‘boom’ in the world of impact capital in Africa;
#1: The Demographic Dividend|
A youthful population of 1.3 billion+
represents both a massive consumer
market and a dynamic workforce. By 2050, one in four humans will be of African descent. Today, the median age of humans in africa is 19 years old. 60% of Kenya’s voter population is under the age of 25 years.
#2 Unprecedented Urbanization|
The largest urban migration in
human history is creating immense
demand for housing, power, transit,
and services.
#2The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) is valued at $4.3 Trillion Market|
The world’s largest free trade area
unlocks cross-border demand,
making integrated transport
corridors exponentially more
valuable.
#3 The Government Greenlight|
African governments are increasingly
embracing Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) models, de-risking investment
and creating a welcoming regulatory
environment.
#4 African Capital|
Diaspora remittances exceed Foreign
Direct Investment but are
overwhelmingly used for
consumption. We know that in 2025 $110 Billion dollars was sent back to Africa (to families and friends) Think about how much impact that money will have when it is directed towards projects that spur economic growth ?
#5 The Tech Leapfrog|
Africa is skipping legacy systems and
adopting modern digital and financial
technology, which can be seamlessly
integrated into new infrastructure. The Stablecoin revolution is one to watch. It is transforming the way that money moves from one African country to another- like our EFTs in the US. It is also transforming the way that impact organizations in the US spend money in Africa. More transparency due to blockchain tech, and more efficiency and stability because of a stable coin. This is going to increase confidence in the Black American investor- once we come to understand its volumes and current growth across the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gfeem.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quefrasier/
- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/TheQBrand
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@PeopleofPurposeKenya
