The Community Foundation is excited to continue our Leaders of the Future series, highlighting the work and experiences of incredible individuals and organizations from across our community of philanthropic, community, professional advisor, corporate, and nonprofit partners.
Kwesi and Swafia Ames are long-time residents of Prince George’s County and fundholders at The Community Foundation since 2021. Swafia is the Managing Director at Brighter Strategies, LLC, while Kwesi is the Vice President of Software Engineering at Salesforce Inc. They are the proud parents of two teenage boys.
For Kwesi and Swafia Ames, philanthropy is more than just a dollar amount- it’s a way of caring for others.
“Philanthropy is not just about giving money,” Kwesi explained. “It’s more about giving yourself. It’s about making an authentic connection with those you mean to serve. Your time, expertise, and compassion are often enough to make a long-term, meaningful impact. ”
“When you see the joy on other people’s faces – the smiles and appreciation, as you witness the transformation in their lives – that’s philanthropy in action. And it’s priceless.”
Much of Kwesi’s philosophy on philanthropy comes from his upbringing. Born on the island of Trinidad, Kwesi saw first-hand the impact that human kindness has on everyday life.
“My family did not have a lot of resources,” Kwesi explained. “A lot of the extracurricular activities that had a big impact on my childhood – Boy Scouts, Track and Field, Soccer, Cricket, Swimming – were made possible by the kindness and generosity of strangers.”
“I always thought that when I had the opportunity, I would help other people – the same way strangers helped me.”
Kwesi Ames and his father, Samuel Ames.
He was also inspired by his late father, a Civil Engineering Technician who went out of his way to help those around him in small and simple ways.
“Education was so important to my father,” Kwesi recalled. “He taught me that the best way to better your life was to give yourself choices – and the best way to do that was to pursue an education.”
With his father’s coaching and support Kwesi excelled in his Common Entrance exams and qualified to enroll in Queen’s Royal College – one of the oldest and most prestigious secondary schools in Trinidad & Tobago. He would later go on to Howard University to pursue a bachelor’s in Systems & Computer Science.
It was during this time in DC that Kwesi met Tonia Wellons – future President & CEO of The Community Foundation – and (more importantly), his wife, Swafia.
Growing up in California, Swafia is a first-generation American of Caribbean descent who relocated to MD to attend the University of Maryland as a psycholgy major. As the first member of her family to graduate from college or attend University on the East Coast, Swafia quickly fell in love with the vibrancy and diversity of the Greater Washington region.
“The part of California I grew up in wasn’t particularly diverse,” Swafia remembered. “Moving to the DC area was so inspiring to be around so many people of color and to see them in so many unique and influential roles and positions.”
Swafia made her home in Prince George’s County, where she married Kwesi and began her career in Human Resources and Recruiting. As part of her professional journey, she also became involved with Cavalry Women’s Services—a nonprofit serving women in Southeast DC—and served on the Organization’s Board of Directors and Governance Chair for several years.
"It was an honor to support the women of Calvary and make a positive impact on their lives," Swafia said. "I see my time with Calvary as my first formal volunteer experience, and it taught me that every effort, no matter how small, is vital and personally meaningful to both the organization and its mission."
For Kwesi, making an impact has spanned multiple countries – both in the country where he grew up and the community where he currently lives.
“I learned early on that I needed concentrate my time and treasure on my strengths,” Kwesi shared about his journey in philanthropy. “For me, that means investing in education and making a difference for the rising generation.”
Kwesi is a long-time supporter of his Trinidadian alma mater, Queens Royal College. Even decades after graduating, Kwesi has maintained strong relationships with current and former faculty during his frequent visits to the island. These relationships have enabled Kwesi to give back in simple, yet meaningful ways including sponsoring the high school track team and – more recently – supporting a month-long tour of DC for their steel pan orchestra .
Meanwhile, in Prince George’s County, Kwesi and Swafia have enjoyed giving back to their community in new and innovative ways. In 2017, Kwesi helped create and sponsor a Robotics team to build opportunity and representation for Black youth interested in STEM. More recently, the couple made a significant investment in The Community Foundation’s Brilliant Futures program.
“We really want to focus on investing in the next generation,” Swafia shared. “Brilliant Futures is great because it allows kids to know that they have that support; that investment – so they can be empowered with the agency, ownership, and discipline to stay the course and accomplish their dreams.”
Kwesi and Swafia say they’ve learned a lot through The Community Foundation – specifically through their friend and neighbor, Tonia Wellons. The Ames family has enjoyed a close relationship with the Wellons family, long before Tonia joined the organization.
“I don’t think we would have thought of ourselves as philanthropists if Tonia hadn’t helped teach us what philanthropy is,” Kwesi shared. “Her example and leadership has helped us realize that philanthropy is meant to be an inclusive, safe space where we can learn as we go and be empowered to give back to the communities we care about.”
“The resources that The Community Foundation provides are incredible,” Swafia added. “They make it so easy for us.”
“We love partnering with an organization that truly knows the community and the importance of investing with equity and impact.”
The Community Foundation is proud to partner with incredible fundholders like Kwesi & Swafia Ames to connect philanthropy to impact. For more information on how you can become a fundholder, contact [email protected]