The Africa Challenge Foundation (AFRICAF) is an independent, non-partisan, youth led, development, Community Service and advocacy organization concerned with issues of social and economic Transformation.
Founded in October 2008, AFRICAF aims at being one of Africa’s fast growing and progressive youth voice on issues of institutional integrity, good governance, social and administrative justice, accountable leadership and sustainable quality holistic development. It is a registered under the Laws of Uganda having been founded specifically to spearhead a Youth Led Development model in Uganda, with a view to extend its work to other African Countries.
AFRICAF is a young professionals’ initiative, a platform for them to apply their skills, experiences and resources for involvement in community service and advocacy. It was founded at Uganda Christian University on the 17th October 2008 by Ivan Atuyambe who is the Team Leader. The core principle of operation is servant leadership and faithful stewardship for nation building.
It is basically a hub of professional volunteers, mobilizing one another across Africa for positive action in communities, covering areas of sustainable human and community development, social transformation, environment protection, and advocacy for good governance, institutional integrity and accountable leadership, administrative and social justice, human rights and gender equity.
We truly believe that once honesty and faithful stewardship is instilled among political and administrative leaders, good governance and public management will be on the scene and the game will be service beyond self and Nation building, hence achieving total growth and development for all Africans. Much of the resources end up in the hands of unfaithful professional bureaucrats and the much needed development is stunted by this theft. We now need mind replacement and leadership change which can only come from behavioral change and character formation. This calls for a new generation of leaders for a new Africa.
Vision
Spiritual, Social and Economic Transformation of African Communities through Strategic Partnerships for Human and Holistic Development
Mission
With practical commitment and involvement, to inform, challenge, inspire and motivate Africans to work hard to achieve an exemplary, self-driven and self reliant generation across Africa
Our Philosophy
Young professionals and youth are potential agents and creators of change in society. When included, guided, supported and put at the forefront, the dynamic energy and knowledge they posses is undoubtedly the long waited and much needed resource for effecting change for the good of their generation and the later generations. Young people deserve a chance to actively participate in development and leadership of their society.
Our Values
Integrity
Accountability and Transparency
Commitment and Excellence
Service beyond self
OBJECTIVES/AIMS OF AFRICA CHALLENGE FOUNDATION; ARTICLE 4 OF THE CONSTITUTION
- Moral guidance and culture preservation with the aim of fostering Ethics and Integrity and engaging in all anti-corruption activities to combat corruption.
- Offer Voluntary Consultancy services in the areas of development, governance, conflict resolution, Organization and Institution Management;
- Avail and disseminate information to the citizens about civic responsibilities, Human Rights, leadership, development and current affairs in Africa;
- Establishing strong local, regional and global partnerships for development and poverty eradication through capacity building for communities and households’ income generation;
- Fostering participatory peace building through unity, diplomacy, reconciliation and unconditional love among Africans;
- Reduce global warming effects in Africa through ensuring environment sustainability;
- Mobilizing funds within and outside Africa to support programs in line with leadership, scholarship and welfare needs of African communities.
Over the period of five (5) years, (2010-2015) we intend to embark on the following tasks:
1. Registration of Africa Challenge Foundation at National levels; April-December 2010
We have acquired a legal certificate of operation From Mukono District Council and we are working hard to register with The National NGO Board and Registrar of Companies as an incorporated National Charity Organization to obtain Non-for profit Charity status. The goal is that we can be able to operate largely in Communities in and around Uganda, operate beyond Uganda. Having a National Legal status will enable us to operate all over Uganda and beyond Uganda.
2. Launch of a National Movement for Youth in Integrity; April-October 2010
The dare need for Uganda, and indeed for Africa as a whole is nothing else but Faithful Stewardship of Leadership for Good governance, Public Service and Management. Since its inception in 2008, AFRICAF has been lobbying and advocating for appropriate anti-corruption activities, and discouragement of corruption; as well as building capacity and coalition among youth. Last year, we began a program to bring university students together in inter-university anti-corruption conferences as a strategy to fight corruption among upcoming professionals.
Much of our findings and experiences tend to show that youth have lost hope; they think the only way to survive is to also be corrupt. We are doing all we can to reverse this thinking and change this trend. We now intend to carry out a youth led National Integrity Survey and Award individuals and institutions of integrity. This will be an Annual event and activity beginning from October 2010.
Other activities of the year 2010 will include the already ongoing community outreach program for Life Skills and Career guidance for Secondary students, Integrity campaigns and quarterly inter-university conferences to combat corruption, outreach to Primary and Secondary schools for Moral guidance and Formation of Integrity Pillars’ clubs Primary and Secondary Schools as well as universities. Human Rights and Gender, Children Protection and Child Ministry will be part of the strategic plan over time.
Capacity Building and Self Development for youth and Communities
This will include many exciting -ground shaking innovations for youth and young professionals. The members will get opportunities to participate in practical projects in line with their courses of study. Training for members on essential life skills and professional skills will continue to take place from time to time. These include investment and development opportunities for members.
Opening up Internship Opportunities for University students
AFRICAF will endeavor to link up with other organizations and help the members to get opportunities to do internship in the partner organizations. This will be part of the benefits for members but will be part of AFRICAF vision to help its members acquire professional skills and work experience much needed in the job market. Members will get a recommendation or introductory letter to help them access the opportunities.
Opening up a Practical Skills Acquisition Centre for University Students
This is to be started in Mukono district. Later, a National Centre will be put in place. The Practical Skills Acquisition Centre will be the Oasis in today’s desert of unemployment; the river of life in jobless, desperate and helpless generation. It will be a manufacturing plant for the much needed job making Professional to replace the contemporary mash rooming job making Professionals.
At University for example, students of Development Studies, Project Planning and Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, Agriculture Science and Technology, and Business Administration will be encouraged to form groups of 5-10 people and come up with an investment plan/project, business plan and start saving for it as a group. The project will then give them a boost grant to supplement what they have raised themselves. If these students do this right from the start of their course, after 3 years they will have saved enough to start a business undertaking.
Students of Law, Public Administration and other Humanities will be helped and guided to form similar groups and begin to plan to work as consultants.
3. iii) The World Market/Shop of Work Experience 2013-2015
Strange but true! Most of the 21st Century jobs if at all they are publically advertised require that the potential candidate must have 5-10 years of work experience. While this challenge still survives death of many hunting local entrepreneurs, even the much praised foreign investors have not given it a treat. Amazingly, when you are studying entrepreneurship they tell you that the greatest strength of any successful entrepreneurs is his/her ability to identify a challenge and turn it into an opportunity for his/her benefit and for the good of the entire community. Does this not pose a gun powder question to our current prosperous business giants?
What I mean is; no one of the so much rich Ugandans and global citizens id tapping into the venture of importing and exporting the dare needed work experience for the jobs in Uganda and the current so called “global village”
AFRICAF will try and open up this shop through giving temporary contracts for it members to manager projects and programs. During holidays, members will participate in the projects, lead programs and take part in planning and managing community empowerment projects, field trainings, research and pilot study trips.
Practical involvement in project management
Leadership roles for different projects will be undertaken by members on rotational basis to enable all members acquire leadership and management skills. This will enhance members’ professional, intellectual and physical ability to compete for the jobs available on the market. Much hope is that it will also improve members’ attitude towards work so that no job should be under looked and no role should be underestimated.
Thoughts to ponder:
“If you ably change the way a man thinks, you have beyond any doubt changed the whole man. The greatest task for every human undertaking is bringing people together. Now that we are together, no stone should be left unturned and no mountain should be left unclimbed. Coming together is the beginning, working together is progress, and keeping together is success. We will continue to share minds and mobilize resources; the most important of which are Time and Attitude and eventually we will change lives.
On employment creation, it is possible to begin now and live as an employer tomorrow if you plan it well and give it all. The one million dollar question and wonder remains: while even the blind sees and the most foolish knows that there are no jobs, could it be that a second look into the mirror suggests that the jobs are available but the jobless have got wrong skills? The skills are important but a skill without will is not different from a mobile telephone without airtime or even worse still, without battery power. Much as we need skills, the will to undertake given tasks is essential. ”
Ivan Atuyambe-Team Leader
Program/activity areas of Africa Challenge Foundation
The programs of Africa Challenge Foundation are based on its seven (7) objectives. Members participate in all activities to acquire skills in all spheres of professional and social life. New members however, are given opportunity to choose the program/activity areas where they wish to concentrate. This is to help the members develop particular experience in their areas of specialization and allow them an opportunity to develop their career in order to give their best to community as they achieve their personal vision and dream through team work. Every member is encouraged to develop a personal desired dream and the entire team supports that dream for each of the members and this encourages innovation and creativity within the team as well as personal and team development.
Integrity and ethics in public service
This is an initiative to build a sense of personal awareness about honesty, faithfulness, self respect and stewardship among upcoming professionals. Members get involved in peer mobilization and sensitization as well as mass sensitization to challenge and encourage the current generation to hold on to the principle of integrity as leaders in order to curb down the rampant corruption and under-development in Africa.
Governance, Leadership and Management
This is an initiative that young people get involved in to advocate for good governance, rule of law, Gender and Human Rights, stable legal system, accountable leadership and management of public resources, social and administrative justice, peace and development,. Here, youth take the lead in assumption that they are the responsible position holders, how would they act? They also get skills of advocacy and involvement in leadership and development processes in their communities as well as get empowered to hold leaders accountable. Leadership Training and development are a major agenda in this program area.
Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment for Income Creation and Socio- Economic Development/Transformation
Youth and communities are to be empowered to attain better lives both socially and economically. Peer-to-peer investment plans are under way to facilitate and empower youth to achieve individual business dreams collectively. Individual ideas are to be embarked on collectively so as to quickly and effectively realize the personal development for all involved. Group and individual Investment and Savings are a major agenda under this project. Partnerships and networking opportunities shall be key benefit to members under this project. Members get Practical Skills Development and Community empowerment opportunities. Young farmers clubs are to be formed in communities for youth out of school, and at institutions of leaning for youth at university where deemed possible.
Community service and volunteerism
This is an important program where members get an opportunity to give back to their communities and cause change in their own local society. Community service activity areas include Environment Protection and climate change campaigns, water and sanitation, career guidance for students, disaster prevention and response, humanitarian aid and relief services, agriculture modernization and food security campaigns, charity supplies to orphanages and marginalized groups of people, mobilization and sensitization of masses on matters of health, education and development.
Evangelism and spiritual counseling and guidance
God is the over and supreme identity of us all. We hold it necessary to reach out to all people with the gospel of truth. This is a side-ways effort of AFRICAF through its sister vision of Life Changing Ministries (LCM) where the youth reach out to fellow youth and other people ministering to them in word and action. The words of hope and God’s love for all his people are the agenda of this effort for spiritual ministry. Music and other talents are used to reach the people with the gospel. This is the spiritual arm of AFRICAF. Family Life and Relationship programs are a major agenda under this program area.
