Wolde & Asaiki Simon

CFO & CEO

 
Wolde & Asaiki Simon profile picture

BGCM was founded by Wolde and Asaiki Simon almost 18 years ago. The organization is deeply rooted in faith and integrity of youth. The Simon's have been together for almost 30 years, married for 15, and have four children. They have both always held ties to improving their community, while focusing on integrity, stewardship, and honesty. Core principles are Self-Esteem, Youth Development, and Community Improvement. BGCM transforms communities by empowering youth to reach their fullest potential through academics, arts, and athletics, and instilling in them that they have been chosen by God to do something great despite circumstances or mistakes.

Both Wolde and Asaiki have spent over twenty years working with youth in a variety of ways. Raised in the urban streets of Brooklyn, budget cuts for local community centers for neighborhood children eliminated mentors, extracurricular activities, and academic assistance. Wolde and Asaiki saw a need and did something about it.

In 2003, after hosting many annual retreats for children, Wolde embarked on the idea to open a community center. In his position as coordinator, he successfully ran five annual children’s sleep-away retreats, in addition to assisting with humanitarian trips centered on youth development. With Wolde’s genuine love and natural abilities to listen to others, he has been instrumental in offering comforting guidance and gaining the confidence of many youth. They gravitate toward his gentle personality and look up to him as a role model, father, husband, and mentor. Asaiki was the director of the annual children’s retreats and a Chastity Retreat for pre-teen girls. To this date, many of the youngsters who came through their programs are now employed, college graduates, active in their communities, and are not licentious.  Wolde and Asaiki have also both been youth leaders for over six years.

 
 

Wolde and Asaiki have been employed in the technology field for over twenty years and hold degrees in Computer Science and Programming, and Business Administration and Management with a minor in Organizational Leadership. Their desire now is to expose youth to opportunities, which are not easily accessible, and to prevent adverse outcomes for young people living in underserved and underrepresented communities.

The goal of BGCM’s programs are to develop capable students who can function in a highly technological and competitive world, while improving minority student growth, close achievement gaps, decrease dropout rates, and increase high school graduation rates. Wolde and Asaiki’s experience and passion to each other and for youth began at an early age, and will continue for a lifetime.