Tag Archives: Global Development

Bizzell Signs MOU to Boost Agribusiness in Gabon

Bizzell Signs MOU to Boost Agribusiness in Gabon

Bizzell International and Bizzell Global are proud to have participated in the U.S.-Africa Business Center event, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this month. This significant event brought together key players from both the U.S. and African business communities to explore opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Our CEO, Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., had the distinct honor of delivering the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the private sector. During this pivotal moment, Dr. Bizzell recognized His Excellency, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, and the Gabonese delegation for their dedication to fostering business ties between the U.S. and Gabon.

One of the central topics highlighted by Bizzell during the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was the company’s commitment to addressing one of Gabon’s most pressing challenges—food insecurity. Gabon, despite its wealth of natural resources, remains heavily reliant on food imports, which leaves the country vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. Through targeted partnerships and projects, Bizzell is actively working to help Gabon become more self-sufficient in food production.

Key initiatives Bizzell include:

  • 5,000-hectare Maize and Soybean Plantation in Ndjokal/Roungassa: In collaboration with local partners, this project aims to produce 20,000 tons of maize and 11,200 tons of soybeans annually by 2028, reducing Gabon’s reliance on imported livestock feed.
  • 2,000 hectares of Cassava and 1,000 hectares of Bananas: By cultivating these key crops locally and establishing a cassava processing unit, Gabon can significantly reduce its food imports, taking strides towards achieving food security.
  • Agricultural Development in Kango and Andem: Spanning 23,000 hectares in Kango and 7,952 hectares in Andem, this project focuses on staple foods like cassava, taro, sweet potatoes, fruits, and expanding into poultry, pig farming, and aquaculture. The aim is to enhance Gabon’s local food production and reduce its dependency on imports.

These projects underscore Bizzell’s expertise in agribusiness and agricultural value chain development, providing critical solutions to Gabon’s food security challenges. With our support, Gabon is on a path toward a more sustainable agricultural future, ensuring long-term food security and economic stability for its people.

To learn more about these projects and our efforts in Africa, visit us at Bizzell Global.

About Bizzell

Bizzell is a consulting, strategy, investment, and technology firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland, with offices in 20+ countries. Bizzell is a partner of choice for federal, state, and local government agencies, and private organizations. With a strong emphasis on innovation and impact, Bizzell transforms small ideas into powerful catalysts that drive change across markets worldwide.
Media Contact: Kwame Phillips
info@bizzellinternational.eu | 301.459.0100

Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Visits Bizzell Corporate Headquarters

Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Visits Bizzell Corporate Headquarters

April 7, 2023 (New Carrollton, Md) – Bizzell welcomed Her Excellency Marie-Hélène Mathey-Boo Lowumba, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to our corporate headquarters on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. The visit provided an opportunity for Bizzell to highlight its commitment to community development and social responsibility in partnership with the DRC.

During her visit, Ambassador Lowumba met with Bizzell Chairman and CEO, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, and other key executives, to discuss Bizzell’s activities in the DRC, as well as its ongoing efforts to promote sustainable development, social responsibility, and youth empowerment. They discussed ways in which Bizzell can continue to support economic growth and job creation in the DRC, as well as further opportunities for collaboration and the importance of building strategic partnerships.

“We are honored to have welcomed Her Excellency Lowumba to our corporate headquarters and to have the opportunity to discuss our shared commitment to sustainable development in the DRC,” said Bizzell. “As a multi-national company, we are committed to collaborating closely with our partners in the DRC to make sure that our endeavors provide local solutions to benefit the community and have a global impact to offer a more sustainable future for all.”

(L to R) Celestin Lombe, First Counselor; Bill Scarbrough, PhD, VP Health Solutions, Bizzell; Yomi Jones, Chief Investment And Finacial Officer, Bizzell; Rose Amolo, VP Global Programs, Bizzell; Dale Clark, Senior Consultant, Bizzell; Mireille Mangambu Tshimini, Attache; Anton C. Bizzell, MD, Chairman and CEO, Bizzell; Marie-Hélène Mathey-Boo Lowumba, Ambassador Extraordinary; Dominique Lubilu  Mubiyayi, First Counselor; Tresor Mpumbu Mukadi, First Secretary; Catherine Mobutu, Attaché

Bizzell Delivers Clean Water Projects in Two Underserved Communities in Nigeria

water tower plaque dedication in Ekiti State Nigeria
L-R: Chief (Dr.) Anton C. ‘Ọmọ́wálé’ Bizzell, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Solomon Ilesanmi Ajibade JP (Ajigbotoluwa 1), the Owa of Odo Ayedun-Ekiti, H.E. Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Ekiti First Lady, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure and Public Utilities, and Prince Michael Ogungbemi, Chairman Ajoni, LCDA at the commissioning.

Bizzell Delivers Clean Water Projects in Two Underserved Communities in Nigeria

September 8th, 2022 (New Carrollton, MD) – Recently, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) constructed and handed over two water projects donated to two underserved communities, Odo Ayedun-Ekiti and Oke Ako-Ekiti, both located in Ajoni Local Council Development Area in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The projects were commissioned by the Ekiti State First lady, Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Fayemi in the presence of Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, CEO of Bizzell on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 in a colorful ceremony.

water tower project in Ekiti State Nigeria

The two identical projects located in the Odo Ayedun and Oke Ako communities have a standard borehole 328 feet deep supported by a solar powered pump of over 400 feet capacity. Each facility comprises a 5,000 liters capacity ground tank that first steps down the water received from the water table before transmitting through two fiber cylinder bottle water treatment plants, and then sends the water to the 10,000 liters overhead tank before delivery to the water point platform where individuals in the communities can then collect clean water. Both are powered by state of the art energy efficient solar panels.

water tower dedication ceremony in Ekiti State NigeriaThe projects were donated as part of Bizzell’s corporate social responsibility and addresses both sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water which remains a challenge in Nigeria. “It is estimated that more than 60 million people in Nigeria do not have access to basic clean water supply and that number grows each year as a result of climate change and population growth”, according to Dr. Bizzell. “Water saves lives and providing clean water is more important now than ever which is why we decided to construct and donate  the water projects to the Odo Ayedub and Oke Ako communities in the Ekiti State of Nigeria”.

water tower dedication ceremony in Ekiti State NigeriaThe commissioning of the projects was preceded by a ceremony at the palace of the traditional ruler of Odo Ayedun-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Solomon Ilesanmi Ajibade JP (Ajigbotoluwa I), the Owa of Odo Ayedun, who expressed his gratitude on behalf of the community, and conferred the chieftaincy title of Balógun Akórewọ̀lú of Odo Ayedun-Ekiti on Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, in recognition of his contribution to the development of the community. Dr. Bizzell, an African-American who traces his ancestry to Nigeria through ancestry DNA testing was also named ‘Ọmọ́wálé’ and welcomed as a son of the community.

water tower dedication ceremony in Ekiti State NigeriaThe chieftaincy and commissioning ceremonies were witnessed by a mammoth crowd from the community, as well as senior government officials, traditional rulers, and other community stakeholders. The Ekiti First Lady H.E. Erelu Bisi Fayemi, on behalf of the Government of Ekiti State, thanked Bizzell for the kind gesture and appealed to them to favorably consider scaling up the intervention to benefit more communities. In her words, “You will find the Government and people of Ekiti state – the land of honor – to be people of integrity, who will always follow through with commitments they make to you and ensure such interventions are protected and well maintained.”

Mr. Akin Rotimi, a community leader and facilitator of the project stated that “the initiative goes a long way in consolidating the cordial relationship between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United States of America and is a demonstration of citizen diplomacy championed by well-meaning Americans in collaboration with Nigerians who have worked together to deliver the project”.

Picture of water project in Ekiti State Nigeria.

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

December 14, 2021 (New Carrollton, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), an award-winning strategy, technology, and consulting firm, was featured in local media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its global health and humanitarian focus and contributions to the Leve Moi Orphanage, an organization founded to serve children orphaned by natural disasters like the May 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcano eruption, on-going political conflict and tension, and health epidemics including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

Bizzell donated 30 bunk beds, 60 mattresses, and dozens of mosquito nets to Leve Moi Orphanage. The donations, locally sourced from DRC businesses, will help the orphanage continue to serve the ongoing needs of the children in Goma, as they do not receive State funding and rely on the goodwill of donors like Bizzell to deliver essential services such as free education and meals. Leve Moi Orphanage serves nearly 500 children each day from the surrounding community and houses dozens of children overnight. During the trip to DRC, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, President/CEO, and members from Bizzell’s Global leadership team, Yomi Jones, Vice President of Finance & Global Operations, and Rose Amolo, Director of Global Programs, traveled over 2000 miles from Kinshasa to Goma to visit the Leve Moi Orphanage. The children of Leve Moi welcomed, embraced, and thanked the Bizzell team through song and dance during the visit.

Learn more about this story as covered by local media in Goma: https://youtu.be/yNriMkva9CQ

Bizzell continued its 10 Year Anniversary celebration with its global staff in Kinshasa, honoring Bizzell’s DRC staff for their dedication to the firm’s global mission and international success. Dr. Bizzell addressed attendees at the celebration, noting Bizzell’s continued growth and global commitment, including expanding an initial two-person team into a global operation with representation in six countries around the world. In addition to Bizzell team members, other guests in attendance included staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Special Assistant to the President of DRC, Dr. Benjamin Bola, and other implementing partners and private sector representatives from Equity Bank and Vodacom.

Bizzell’s 10 Year Anniversary in DRC, combined with its philanthropic efforts continue to highlight and emphasize the firm’s focus on global expansion, addressing issues that improve the overall quality of life for people in low, emerging, and middle-income countries. DRC is the largest office in the Bizzell Global portfolio, with 13 staff implementing and supporting various global health protection activities including laboratory strengthening, health workforce development, early detection, treatment, and disease surveillance for Ebola, COVID-19, other epidemics and vaccine preventable diseases including Measles, Polio, Meningitis, Cholera, Monkey Pox.