Kamál M. Wigfall

Promoting Enrichment with the Gullah Geechee Initiative Foundation

story by NAKEISHA DAWSON-THOMPSON

Kamál M. Wigfall was born in Charleston, SC, and later moved to Lady’s Island after his mother accepted a librarian position at St. Helena Elementary School. With deep ties in Charleston and the Lowcountry, the Gullah Geechee culture and language have been a passions of Kamál that have turned into the Gullah Geechee Initiative Foundation, Inc. (GGIF), a non-profit (501c3) organization. GGIF was founded by Kamál Wigfall in 2019 exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, with an emphasis to provide programs that promote cultural enrichment, character development, academic excellence, athletics, and community outreach that will identify specific needs in the community and provide services to the underserved residents living primarily on St. Helena Island.

2019-2020 GGIF Programs and Activities
During the 2019–2020 school year, GGIF partnered with the St. Helena Elementary School Boys and Girls Club in a weekly afterschool program, serving over sixty 1st–5th graders and providing a financial literacy workshop for 4th and 5th graders to introduce students to developing lifelong learning skills, managing/owning a business, and considering future career options. In its commitment to provide outreach services to the community, GGIF invited the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (BCBCC) loan officer to speak with students regarding various programs/services offered by the Chamber, and the importance of saving, hard work, and investing at an early age.

In February 2020, GGIF partnered with The First Tee of The Lowcountry and USTA South Carolina to promote and introduce the games of golf and tennis to students at St. Helena Elementary. Retirees living on Dataw Island volunteered weekly to teach the fundamentals of golf in the St. Helena Elementary School gym. GGIF also received a stipend from USTA South Carolina and hired Monique DeLatour, a professional tennis instructor, to provide tennis lessons to students. During Black History Month, GGIF sponsored a genealogy workshop at the St. Helena Branch Public Library for students to research their Gullah Geechee roots. Not only did students discover their family’s personal history, but learning the history of their ancestors also assisted them in gaining a better understanding of the sacrifices and the many contributions of their African descendants in America.

Kamál states, “Penn Center is one of the most significant African historical and cultural institutions in existence today.” On March 7th, 2020, GGIF implemented the Keep Gullah Island Beautiful Project—a grassroots beautification initiative for the MLK Memorial Park, which is owned by the Penn Center. For this project, GGIF partnered with Keep Beaufort County Beautiful, MLK Park Committee, Clemson Extension Master Gardeners, Girl Scouts Rainbow Troop 4105, Lowe’s, Lady’s Island Garden Club, Prince Hall King Solomon Lodge #10, Palmetto Pride, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and Low Country Sanitation. The beautification of the park also includes repairing/painting park benches, trash bins, and picnic tables; recycling/litter control; and planting low-maintenance indigenous trees, shrubs, and plants. Several local artists will donate their time and talent to paint Gullah-inspired art throughout the park, and Low Country Sanitation is providing recycling services. Fifty participants gathered at the MLK Memorial Park for the first phase of the Keep Gullah Island Beautiful Project.

To assist during the Covid-19 pandemic, GGIF sponsored “Bags-to-Go” food distribution in celebration of Juneteenth. The second distribution was organized in celebration of International Nelson Mandela Day at the MLK Memorial Park for St. Helena Island residents. Over 200 bags of groceries containing nonperishable food, masks, fresh fruits, and vegetables were distributed at each of the food drives. GGIF partnered with the Lowcountry Food Bank, Community Resource Center North Charleston, Simba League, SCESMM, BCBCC, SC DHEC , Walmart #7181 and #1383 , Piggly Wiggly, Marshview Community Organic Farm, Girl Scout Troop 4105, Salvation Army, Healthy Blue South Carolina, 24K Social Club, Beaufort Jasper Comprehensive Health, St. Helena Lodge 4, and the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration.

When asked about the future of GGIF, Kamál is excited to continue the food distribution to help combat the hunger problem, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Keep Gullah Island Beautiful Project, as well as to expand its programs and services. Phase 2 of the MLK Memorial Park beautification project is currently underway. Since the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a nationwide closing of schools, GGIF will continue the afterschool program for the second year with adaptations to address the economic and educational crisis brought on by the pandemic: provide tutoring programs that support classroom learning objectives, provide individualized support, facilitate digital transition efficacy, and provide STEM enrichment opportunities to underserved students living in Beaufort County.

With continuing the financial literacy program, GGIF’s purpose is to reconnect young people with their heritage of self-sufficiency, agricultural skills, land ownership, and economic independence. GGIF would like the financial literacy workshop to serve as a stepping stone for students to create a business. The Foundation has begun working with BCBCC, Clemson Exchange, Heritage Community Farm, and Marshview Farm to provide opportunities for workshop participants. Students will apply their “classroom learning” and entrepreneurial skills to operate pop-up lemonade stands “from the ground” up (i.e., planting lemon trees, selling lemonade at local festivals and events). GGIF also has plans to expand its athletic program on St. Helena Island to involve more preteens. Lastly, CGIF will use their financial literacy/entrepreneur program as a tool for their organization to become more self-sufficient and to alleviate the stress of being dependent on outside sources of funding.

Kamál’s vision is for GGIF to be a leading organization, responsible for creating and implementing community programs and services, summer camps, and youth athletics on St. Helena Island. GGIF’s goal is to continue to mentor youth beyond high school, so when they are adults, they will willingly give back to the community, as the community has given to them. It is necessary that GGIF’s services and programs grow and develop to serve the needs of our community. To find out how you can help this organization or to view the many events and programs that are currently in operation, visit their website at https://gullahgeecheeif.org