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Emery Ngamasana lives in Lewisville and works at Reynolds American

Emery Ladi Ngamasana knew that he had to take action to help the Congo community where he was born and raised. A senior scientist with the Reynolds American organization (Reynolds) and a Lewisville resident, he is on a mission to give back to his home community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With the help of a business mentor in the SCORE NC program, Ngamasana founded Rural World Impetus, Inc. a 501(c)(3) public charity, in 2020 to help improve the lives of rural deprived communities in the Congo through education, health, and economic self-sufficiency.

A trip home to the Congo in 2018 opened Ngamasana’s eyes to the immediate needs of the residents in his home village. Upon returning to the U.S., he took action and immediately began sourcing financial donations, clothes, and school supplies from his North Carolina community to send back home.

“What I saw in 2018 moved me in such a way that I couldn’t sleep at night. I kept thinking about the children without shoes or adequate clothing, the patients in the hospital, and the complete lack of educational health infrastructure – the needs are endless,” Ngamasana said. “I formed Rural World Impetus because I knew I needed to streamline my actions, connect data, and bring other people on board.”

Data is something Ngamasana knows a lot about. As a statistician at Reynolds, he’s responsible for the statistical analysis of the chemistry data that support regulatory applications, ensuring the science is accurate and transparent.

“Reynolds has a long history of supporting communities in need and our employees, whether locally or around the globe, are passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others,” said Shay Mustafa, senior vice president of business communications and sustainability at Reynolds. “Seeing employees like Emery dedicated to making a difference is an inspiring call to action to us all.”

Rural World Impetus is currently working to build a health clinic to support the communities near Ngamasana’s home village and sponsor high-performing students in the local primary and secondary schools. Donations from the Reynolds American Foundation’s employee matching program have helped to support his efforts. To learn more about Rural World Impetus, including ways to help, go to rwiinc.org.