Natalie Concannon, FORE! Rafiki Lead, Penalta Group Administrator, Global Friends Ambassador

Natalie Concannon is our first Global Friends Ambassador! Nat has boundless energy, a heart that beats with love and compassion, and a determination rarely seen.

Nat has been the driver behind the very successful FORE! Rafiki Golf Tournament for 3 years. However, in 2018 when she asserted that she wanted to do even more, we jumped on the chance to have her join our team in Tanzania to build a playground at Mama Jane’s orphanage, deliver 300 pairs of shoes to impoverished children and dress 300 young girls in new outfits!

“I came home from Africa with a new perspective on life. New appreciation for things I took for granted. New patience for things I used to complain about,” says Nat. “The experience has changed me in ways I will forever be grateful for,” says Nat. “I look forward to the next #FORERafiki golf tournament where I can explain to people how their involvement here at home actually change lives for the better.”

Thank you, Natalie, for being such an amazing person, a close friend of GFF, and for #SharingOneWorld! You can read Natalie’s heartfelt account of her Global Friends adventure here.

Isaac Asseno, Rafiki Orphan, Professional Tour Guide, Founder of Global Friends Expeditions, Global Friends Ambassador

Isaac was among the first orphans to be supported by Global Friends. He says, “Global Friends is the best organization. It supports and helps vulnerable children and orphans so they can fulfill their dreams and afford basic needs, food, clean water, shelter, comfortable beds and clothes.

“The light of Global Friends in our lives is so huge. We benefit from this foundation through better education and good schools for many kids. The Rafiki orphans have attended the best colleges in Tanzania. I am now working independently and Neema is now a teachers.

Global Friends helps communities in Africa by providing gifts to the kids like shoes, clothes and school supplies. We a highly recommend this organization as the BEST in Africa. We deeply love you and are so proud of you.”

Paul Giorno, Penalta Group, See the Summit 2015, FORE! Rafiki 10+ Participant, Donor, Global Friends Ambassador

Every once in a while you are lucky enough to meet someone truly special — someone who uses their intelligence, creativity and charisma to do meaningful, transformational work. Paul is one of those people and he’s been sharing his talent and enthusiasm with Global Friends for years. In fact, Paul is probably one of the most involved volunteers we have. He’s climbed to the highest point in Africa as a member of our 2017 See the Summit team. He co-designed the stunning playground we built at Mama Jane’s orphanage in Tanzania in 2018. He’s played in every one of the 10 Penalta FORE! Rafiki charity golf tournaments since 2007 and was one of our most impactful guest speakers at the event. He has personally donated to various Global Friends programs. He’s mentored orphans who are part of the Global Friends family. And, he has just agreed to become one of our treasured Global Friends Ambassadors… although we’ve considered him to been one of our best for quite some time. Please join us in officially welcoming and thanking, Paul Giorno to his new role with Global Friends.