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Our Mission:

Empower.

We believe that sustainable impact starts with local leadership. For that reason we have created a community-led organization dedicated to advancing the economic and personal development of the women and children in Nakuwadde, Uganda, through greater access to education and other life-changing resources.

 
 
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What We Believe

With greater access to education, creative expression, and physical activity children are set up to thrive in all areas of life.

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The Center

Open Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, the Action in Africa Community Center is where our free, on-the-ground programs and community services are headquartered. Everyone is welcome!

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Our Programs

When we reduce the barriers to education we raise healthier children and, ultimately, adults with greater economic prospects. This belief is the foundation of our dynamic programs. Whether it's through our primary programs, secondary scholarship programs, adult education programs, after school programs, creative arts programs, or medical outreach services, Action in Africa exists to empower the individuals of the Nakuwadde, Uganda, community as they become the next generation of leaders in East Africa and beyond.

 

education

We believe that education is the foundation upon which a happy, healthy life is built, and that is why the lion’s share of our work is to facilitate greater access to educational opportunities for the community of Nakuwadde, Uganda.
 

Special needs

Facilitating services for the differently abled members of the Nakuwadde community is a big responsibility, and we are proud of our work helping those with disabilities get the resources and care they need.

women to women

This dynamic weekly program fosters community among dozens of women in the Nakuwadde, Uganda area. Every Friday the women come together for breakfast where they take part in various workshops and educational opportunities.
 

Medical outreach

A healthy community is a happy community, which is why we partner with a local medical services provider to host medical outreach events at The Center, where the community can access free medical and mental health services.

 
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A Note From Sumayya

“As a member of Action In Africa’s Secondary Scholarship Program I’ve earned an education. I’ve learned how to explore and discover, how to create and innovate. My life has changed from problems to solutions.”

 
 

Our Impact

Action In Africa is community-led in every sense. We have created programs built around the community, not a community built around our programs. We do not exist to impose programs the community doesn’t want or need, we exist to support them through programs driven by research, data, and compassion. We have developed a unique model that is based on the fundamental premise that when individuals earn opportunity for growth they are fundamentally more committed to their own success. Through this work we have helped thousands of women and children improve their lives through education.

 

10+

years of service

Action In Africa has been working with the community of Nakuwadde, Uganda for more than a decade. What began with grassroots efforts has become a full-fledged organization serving thousands of individuals.

 

100+

thousand cups of porridge served

Through the Primary Partnership Program, and the after school program we have served more than 136,878 cups of porridge. Our goal is to ensure that no person who walks through our gates leaves hungry.

 
 

1000+

students in the primary partnership program

This project is designed to complement, and in many cases supplement, the educational opportunities for primary-age children in Nakuwadde. Through our innovative approach, AIA has created a holistic, gender-inclusive educational program.

 
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Our Partners

Our work simply wouldn’t be possible without the dozens of organizations and individuals we partner with to deliver our programs and services.

 
 

How We’re Different

Having worked in Uganda for over 10 years, we have learned from our past mistakes and upended the classic Western style of philanthropy. In order to revolutionize our approach, we developed three bold models to facilitate the achievement of our objectives.

 

Scholarship Not Sponsorship

Through Action in Africa, you will not find an opportunity to sponsor an individual student in his or her studies. After years of directly funding select students’ educations, we realized the inherent flaws in this system. Rather than benefiting the individual students, the program created a hierarchy in our partner schools and a sense of dependency amongst sponsorship recipients. Likewise, it did not empower the students or their families to play an active role in their education. In response to these problems, we have established a variety of scholarship funds that benefit hundreds of students.

 

Zero Handouts

As nice as it sounds to freely distribute shoes, clothes, electronics, and other consumable products to vulnerable communities, Action in Africa does not hand out supplies to individuals carte blanche. We have found that this has been quite harmful in the past, creating a cycle of dependency and lack of ownership. Instead, we offer reward-based services that have a lasting impact than just one item, which can be broken, sold, stolen, or out grown. The supplies that we do collect are items that can be used by the general population at The Center, such as art supplies, sports equipment, school supplies, books, etc.

 
 

Community Driven

In the past, we have come to Uganda with ideas that seemed really great from a western perspective. Some of our initiatives worked, but many failed because we simply did not take the time to understand what the community needed. However, since establishing a consistent on-the-ground presence we’ve opened our eyes and ears to suggestions from the community, and Action in Africa has thrived. Action in Africa implemented an After School Program, free HIV testing clinics, adult English classes, and more, in response to real needs voiced by the community. It will come as no surprise to share that these program are some of our strongest and most well-attended.

 
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Get Involved

We would love for you to be a part of the Action In Africa family, and there are many great ways to be involved. Join our Scholarship Society, make a one-time donation, or volunteer! No matter how you give, our work just isn’t possible without your generous support.

 

The Leadership Committee

As we look to the future, we will work with our newly created The Leadership Committee (TLC), a dynamic group of young professionals and change makers, to steer the course for AIA as we continue making positive, sustainable change for the people of Uganda. Application to join below!

Scholarship Society

A fun, easy way to make a difference. Join AIA’s Scholarship Society for as little as $5 a month and your recurring gift will directly help the students who benefit from AIA’s Primary, Secondary, and University education programs.

Make a Donation

Donating to Action In Africa supports our work in Uganda, none of which would be possible without the generosity of people like YOU! Thank you for believing in our mission to empower the people of Uganda with the tools to create sustainable change.