About Us
The JEQ Foundation
About the JEQ Foundation
The Joseph and Elizabeth Quansah (JEQ) Foundation was founded in 2019 as a registered 501(c)(3) IRS Tax Exempt nonprofit in the USA. The foundation provides tuition, residential scholarships, and laptops to excellent but disadvantaged college and university students in Ghana.
Our Founders
The Joseph & Elizabeth Quansah (JEQ) Foundation was founded by Drs. Joseph Emmanuel Quansah and Elizabeth Ivy Quansah, husband and wife and Ghanaian Americans. Dr. Joseph Emmanuel Quansah earned his Ph.D. in Agriculture and Biological Engineering and MSE in Civil Engineering from Purdue University.
He is an Associate Professor of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Tuskegee University.
Dr. Elizabeth Ivy Quansah earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University and her MBA from Indiana University. She serves as the Founding Director of Auburn University’s Office of Outreach Global.
Drs. Joseph and Elizabeth Quansah are deeply motivated to support outstanding students in Ghana who are limited by financial means. Once established as university professors in the US, they spent several years directly financing struggling students in Ghana. In the beginning, they put money aside each month to distribute on their visits to Ghana. They bought kids’ books, pencils, pens, and more, helping where possible.
“These parents would be so emotional, thanking me. That’s how it began,” Elizabeth recalls. Later, she decided to add laptops to their mission, buying them on Black Friday and bringing them to Ghana annually.
As the requests from contacts in Ghana increased, momentum built towards creating a foundation. They established the JEQ Foundation to increase the scale of this project. Formalizing their efforts would increase support for the operation and help more students. Drs. Joseph and Elizabeth Quansah believe that poverty should never impede one’s education and potential to succeed. This guiding philosophy was imparted by their parents. Therefore, the foundation was founded in memory of their late parents: Mr. John William Dadzie, beloved father of Dr. Elizabeth I. Quansah, and Mr. Emmanuel & Mrs. Gifty Quansah, beloved parents of Dr. Joseph E. Quansah.
The couple's decision to establish the JEQ Foundation was influenced by their past experiences, shared passion for education, and a strong desire to impact the next generation by giving back. The foundation strives to empower underserved college students in Ghana, mentor them, and build productive, professional relationships.
Paying It Forward
Drs. Joseph and Elizabeth Quansah strongly believe in paying it forward, so they ask scholarship recipients to do the same. Each JEQ Foundation scholarship recipient is required to complete acts of service in their local communities.
“It’s just a joy to know we are paying it forward because each of these students is breaking the poverty cycle in their homes. Therefore, it is important for them to commit to also helping someone after they have made it in life, just as we do,” Joseph stated.
Each JEQ Foundation scholarship recipient is asked to support their communities in Ghana by:
1. Performing at least 15 hours of community service each year during recipients’ college years.
2. Upon graduation and after obtaining employment, recipients are expected to support/sponsor another Ghanaian college student through the JEQ Foundation. The sponsored student must be someone from their community that is not in their family.
These requirements are mandatory.
Call for Corporate and Individual Sponsorship
We call on Ghanaian businesses/industries, NGOs, individuals, groups, USA donors, and everyone to support a worthy cause. No amount is too small. 100% of your donation funds tuition, housing, and laptops for Ghanaian recipients. We welcome internships and placement opportunities for our recipients in Ghana.
Join us at our website: jequansahfoundation.org
Email: quansahfoundation@gmail.com