Quentin Wodon is a poverty specialist for Africa and South America and is a pro bono consultant for non-profits. A main cause of extreme poverty is child marriage (under age 18); in some cultures as young as 9 or 10 years old. The children are stunted in growth, with malnutrition, and lack of education. Mortality of under 5 years old is 50%. Life time earning capacity is 50% less than if the girls waited until they were 18, because there is 50% less completion of secondary education. National economic growth rates are threatened by population growth rates of extreme poverty

Reggie talked about Ghana and his plans to go into business there. Located on the Atlantic coast of North West Africa, Ghana has a population of 27M that produces oil and coco bean exports. The government is corrupt and there is a diversity of the rich and educated and the very poor shantytown squatters on government lands. He said there is tension between the rich and the very poor and that the poor are migrating dangerously North through the Sahara Desert to the Mediterranean and on boats to Europe. Reggie’s business plan is to go into the rental business – renting equipment for corporate events and construction and moving services. He also will do performance consulting and leadership development.

John McCarthy, first elected in 2016 as State’s Attorney for Montgomery County, was a prosecutor for 34 years. He is a former president of the Montgomery County Bar Association, and is a public policy leader. He talked about the implications of the Baltimore crime vs. social justice disaster and its potential for export to Montgomery County. The six indited cops will probably be moved to Montgomery or P.G. County to get a fair trial. The problem with body cameras, on for 24 hours, is personal privacy (for instance going to the men’s room). He said 80% of women deaths are domestic and 60+ year olds are targets for fraud and both show a reluctance of early reporting. He also talked about heroin drug problems and middle school truancy.