Sekou Sithandive Cox, originally from Trinidad and now based between Accra, Ghana and New York City, USA, directs the non-profit organization The Literate Africa Project, Inc. Their mission is to provide educational resources and support educational initiatives in poor African communities.

What made you start this venture? Why are you doing this?

I have always been an educator at heart and I have a duty to Africans, since we are struggling in every corner of the globe. Knowledge is power, so I am trying to empower as many young Africans as I can. When people are educated in any form, they can overcome many of the challenges they face.

What do you hope to achieve?

I hope to see universal primary education access on the African continent. I also hope to foster large scale interaction and collaboration between African students, educators and their global counterparts.

How long have you been working on this?

We started in March 2010 and we’ll be working on this up until the end of the world.

What is the most interesting discovery you have made since starting this project?

The disparity in resources and access to education between students/educators on the African continent and most countries outside.

Where do you see this project in 10 years?

To see a significant increase in literacy rates all over sub-Saharan Africa and a marked increase in the number of Africans traveling to the African continent to collaborate with their brothers and sisters.

When did you start traveling?

April 2001 was my first time on a plane.

How and why did you travel for the first time?

I traveled to New York to join my family after securing permanent residence to the USA.

In what places have you lived and what languages do you speak?

I have lived in Trinidad, USA and Ghana, and I’ve had stays in a significant number of other countries. I only speak English well, but I can say ‘Thank You’ in 20 languages :)

What’s your favorite city so far?

The Big Apple. For culture and cuisine, you can travel the entire world right in New York.

If you could only take one item with you to travel the world (other than your passport), what would it be?

My shrine. God and my ancestors are always guiding me so I always have to set up a little altar wherever I stay.

Give us your global nomad profile:

Window or aisle? Window
Boat or plane? Plane
Train or bus? Bus, you see more as you go
Walk or bike? Fixed gear forever
Metro or trolley? Trolley
Tropical, temperate, polar? Temperate (until freezing temperatures take over)
Hotel, hostel or local’s apartment? Local’s apartment
Must have fashion piece when traveling? Local clothing
Explore/map or tour guide? Dora (the explorer)