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Vic Mensa is taking advantage of his time in Ghana to help make it easier for his family and other residents to get fresh water.
On Wednesday, January 4, the Chicago rapper told TMZ about his plan to team up with his father, who lives and runs a non-profit organization in Ghana, to provide clean water for three villages. Mensa was inspired to get involved when he witnessed how difficult it is to get water for basic needs. Upon seeing the poor conditions and even contaminated water, he felt compelled to provide a solution.
"We're building 3 boreholes in different communities in Ghana to provide clean drinking water; the first being the Asokore Zongo in Koforidua where my family lives, which is already built," Mensa told TMZ. "The other locations are a nearby community called Effiduase and then our ancestral village in the Volta Region, Amedzofe. Most people in communities like this in Ghana experience constant waterborne diseases."
All three villages are home to over 200,000 people so Vic Mensa's efforts will improve a lot of lives in the area. The overall construction of the boreholes will reportedly take up to four weeks to complete with 10 to 15 days of drilling along with pipe and cable installation. As far as the quality of the water, every drop will be tested in a lab before it flows into the villages. In total, the boreholes are expected to cost $45,000 to finish.
In addition to his mission to nourish his family's village, Mensa is also expected to co-headline the Black Star Line Festival alongside Chance The Rapper. Other top-tier acts like Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys and M.anifest will also perform at the festival on Friday, January 6.
It's not the first time Mensa has lent a helping hand to those in need. After he launched his own cannabis brand in Chicago, the Roc Nation signee gave away $10,000 worth of free gasoline and free pre-rolls to citizens in his old neighborhood in Southside.