Board Staff

Darius Coulibaly, MA
Founder & President

 Born and raised in a poor and rural environment in Cote D’Ivoire, Darius quickly became familiar with the despair and frustration endemic to individuals and communities struggling to survive.  Images of children needlessly dying in parents’ hands because of the lack of health center in villages, safe and clean water, medications, education, and inaccessibility to financial services cannot be forgotten, let alone be wiped out of his memory.  Puzzled by the grinding poverty across Africa, Darius vowed to do something about it.  He quickly turned his frustration into a life long quest for understanding and seeking solutions to the vicious cycle of poverty, in which millions of Africans are trapped into.
 
Darius Coulibaly, who holds a Masters degree in Economics with a concentration in Economic Development and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Organizational Development and German both from Vanderbilt University, founded Empowering The Poor (ETP) in December 2005.
Darius is the chief architect in the design and implementation of ETP’s culturally based programs. Darius is fluent in spoken and written French, English, German and two African dialects. His excellent cross-cultural communication skills enable him to navigate in today’s global village. Darius, who is passionate about poverty alleviation and international development related issues, strongly believes that the poor must be empowered, if chronic poverty were to be reduced, and peace and economic growth were to be fostered in Africa and in the developing world.

Darius is currently a Special Education Teacher (ED) at Chancellor High School, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he teaches a Self-Contained class (Emotional and Behavioral Disturbances). Darius has additional training in the psychiatric field in which
He worked for years as a psychiatric technician/counseling, providing therapeutic behavioral management to patients suffering from emotional disorders and chemical dependence.

Koffi Tiemogoh Ernestine, MD
Director, Africa Region
Program Manager, Community Leadership Healthcare Program

Mrs. Koffi joined Empowering The Poor in the spring of 2005. She received her MD from the University of Abidjan, School of Medicine in 2002, and then interned and did her residency at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Yopougon (Abidjan).
Mrs. Koffi is responsible for the day to day management of Empowering The Poor’s office in Africa. Her responsibilities include recruiting and supervising field staff, maintaining collaborative relations with other partners and local governments.  She works closely with women in our target communities, where she continues to refine and innovate the education component of our Community Healthcare Leadership Program.
 Mrs. Koffi, who currently practices medicine at the Compagnie Ivoirienne d’Electricite (CIE) in Abobo, (Abidjan) is married and has three children.

Ms. Gnelegue Julienne, BS
Vice-President, Finance and Administration, Africa region

Ms. Gnelegue joined Empowering The Poor in the summer of 2006. Ms. Julienne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Accounting. She is responsible of financial and administrative oversight at Empowering The Poor’s office in Africa. She serves as liaison between ETP’s office in Africa and the headquarter in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Her responsibilities include supervising field staff, reporting progress, recording financial transactions, assisting with budget proposals, planning and implementing projects in Africa, and reporting major issues to headquarters in Fredericksburg, Virginia.