Our Founders

GRACE KUTO.  Born and reared in Kenya, is the co-founder and president of Harambee Centre. She is a Portland State University alumna with a BA in Business Administration and Certificate in International Business and also an employee at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) for over 22 years.

A gifted speaker, renowned cook, international students’ voice, and educator, Grace has touched the lives of thousands of students and teachers throughout the Pacific Northwest of the United States through her classroom tested “Africa is Not a Country” curriculum and partnership with the K-12 Global Education Program of the World Affairs Council of Oregon since 1979. She also speaks at corporate diversity events on intercultural assimilations and communication issues. Starting Fall 2009, Grace will teach Cooking and Culture, and Swahili classes at PCC (Sylvania campus).

She has served on numerous local and regional boards including American Friends Service Committee, Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers), and the World Affairs Council of Oregon. A consistent voice on Africa in this region, Grace has also regularly co-hosted the Africa Roundtable edition of the “Africa on Fire!” News broadcast on local KBOO Radio.

Philanthropic author, her first story cookbook (1995) proceeds helped to build a medical clinic in her village, Chwele in western Kenya which serves a community of almost 58,000 people. She released her 2nd edition in summer, 2008 and called it Harambee! Stories and Recipes from the African Family Circle to help build a 7,000 sq ft community center at Chwele.

Though Grace has lived in Portland for more than 30 years, she consistently remains devoted to the call of her village in her homeland. She has worked tirelessly to educate, connect and mutually enrich her African and American communities.

JACKIE GOLDRICK. Working with Grace to found Harambee Centre continues Jackie's love affair with Africa. In 1990 she moved to Ghana, West Africa when her husband, John was appointed Peace Corp Director there. For 3 ½ years she served with the United States Agency for International Development. In 1992, her family moved to Kenya, East Africa where Jackie was appointed Project coordinator for the US Ambassador's Self Help Project. For 2 ½ years she traveled throughout Kenya identifying sustainable community based self help projects with a particular emphasis on those that benefit women and children. Upon returning to the United States, the Goldricks settled in Portland. Here Jackie served for three years as Education Director for the World Affairs Council of Oregon, she has led several educational trips to both Kenya and Ghana. Jackie is the mother of two daughters, Shaheen and Shannon, and a son, Sean.

Harambee Centre
P.O. Box 6617
Portland, Oregon 97228-6617 USA
Telephone: (503) 245-3812
info@harambeecentre.org