CONNECT AFRICA FOUNDATION INC
We Can and We Will
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Connect Africa works with Ugandan villagers who are struggling to support children orphaned by AIDS.
Our Community Campus is in the village of Jogo (outside Kampala) a poor but lush area with red clay soil, small, verdant plots and scores of orphaned children. Food and water are sufficient to meet villagers' basic needs but education and economic opportunities are not.
Many families consist of a grandmother and her numerous orphaned grandchildren. She is a subsistence farmer with less then $1 USD per day to provide for her family. Her children have died due to the AIDS epidemic. Their children, her grandchildren, will not go to school as there is no money for tuition or school supplies.
The grandchildren will grow into illiterate, untrained youth and 2/3 will remain unemployed. Their children, of whom there will be at least six, will continue this cycle of poverty, lack of education and unemployment and be susceptible to abuse and disease. We are working to break this cycle.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educational Sponsorship
Connect Africa funds tuition, lunch, uniforms, school supplies and health care for our students from nursery school through university or vocational training. Connect Africa staff review academic performance and behavior reports, work closely with students to provide them with any special enrichment they may need, work with the families in helping guide their performance and behavior and work with the larger community to establish a strong partnership and a successful educational experience. We can work with a student for upwards of 20 years.
Micro Loans
Our philosophy of awarding loans differs significantly from other micro-financing organizations. The recipients of Connect Africa loans are often people who do not read or write. We create individual contracts which enable us to build relationships with the loan-recipients.
Connect Africa's micro-loan program is unique because:
Loans are interest-free.
Loan contracts are specific to each family’s needs.
We assist families with savings and long-term planning.
We provide monthly monitoring of businesses.
When a loan is completed, recipients make a donation to Connect Africa to help others, paying to forward.
Most importantly, Connect Africa loans provide a means to a source of income for families. The guardians become role models as their children and the broader community witness their success.
Community Campus
Connect Africa community campus serves as an educational resource for the students in the community as well as for their caregivers.
Children’s Academic Enrichment Program
Every Saturday—and three times per week during school holidays—50+ children come together on the Connect Africa community campus for lessons in academics, life skills, peer relationships, group play, and cultural singing and dancing. Our playground provides the children a chance to enjoy the swings, seesaw, climbing structure and an open area for group games, soccer, jump rope, and the freedom to simply roam. After their lessons, the children enjoy a hot cup of porridge.
Adult Literacy Program
Our Adult Literacy Program grew out of requests from adults in the community who wanted to learn to read and write. Connect Africa took their words seriously and hired a certified teacher who instructs two different level classes, each meeting twice a week.
Income Generating Activities
Connect Africa family members meet in an open structure to discuss ways of generating income through our micro-loans, making and selling native crafts, and knitting dolls. We partner with an American business that pays Ugandan women to knit the dolls.
Vocational Training
The Connect Africa's Vocational Training Institute provides instruction by certified teachers in the areas of Carpentry and Joinery, Welding and Fabrication, Hair Styling and Beauty Therapy, Electrical and Solar Installation, Plumbing, Fashion and Design and Catering and Hotel Management, and Building and Construction. The courses represent the needs of Uganda. The training provides Uganda youth and adults with vital job skills enabling them to have careers and earn an income. Students travel from many parts of Uganda to participate in our vocational training program. Our programs prepare them to take national certification exams.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Connect Africa Foundation's goal is to provide educational and economic opportunities to struggling Ugandans. The children we help have lost one or both parents, generally to AIDS/HIV and are being cared for by extended family. We seek out families and communities that are often overlooked by larger charitable organizations and provide a hands-on, personalized approach to lifting them up out of poverty.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We have four strategies for assisting struggling Ugandans:
Educational sponsorship for orphaned children. We provide all requirements for school including tuition, school supplies, personal hygiene items, transportation, health and dental care. The co-directors monitor achievement of educational goals through attendance at parent-teacher conferences, review of report cards and regular check-ins with the student, family and school.
Academic Enrichment provides tutoring, life skills training and a nourishing meal to students in the area surrounding our community campus.
Business start up loans for caregivers enable them to start income generating businesses. We also provide business mentoring in bookkeeping, inventory management, marketing.
Vocational Training in the in-demand fields of carpentry, metal work, tailoring, hairdressing, computer technology and catering are provided for a nominal fee at our Vocational Training Centre allowing youth to obtain certification in these income generating trades.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Connect Africa was founded in 2005 by two committed and passionate individuals: Lynn S. Auerbach and Kalule Charles. Lynn resides in Uganda six months of the year and Charles lives there year round. Both directors are actively engaged in assessing the needs of the families, implementing start-up endeavors and supporting the children in their efforts to obtain an education. Connect Africa relies on local staff and advisors who intimately understand the complex needs of the community.
Lynn S. Auerbach, Founder and Co-Director, has a Ph.D in clinical psychology and specialized in violence and abuse in families. She spent her career working with diverse populations, helping to empower individuals to develop their abilities in order to improve their own lives. Lynn's life-long dream to live in Africa became a reality in 2004.
Kalule Charles, Co-Director, grew up in the slums of Kampala. At one point in his life, his family was homeless, and many of his friends lost to hopelessness. Charles holds a degree in Counseling and Guidance. Through his work, he contributes to the possibility of a better life for those he works with.
The expertise of our co-directors coupled with our dedicated boards (USA and Uganda) and ever growing donor base uniquely position us to effect change for the families we help in Uganda.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
76% of our students have completed their program of study with our support and are now meaningfully employed. (Only 17% of youth in general population)
115 students have received educational sponsorship should this say sponsorship, most for many years.
85 loans have been awarded. 39 educational loans have been awarded.
92% of our students have completed primary school. (32% in general population)
Only 5% of our female students have become pregnant. (72% among poorest girls) During the past 12 years CAF has grown substantially in all arenas - from the number of people in Uganda that we are able to help, to the structure and outreach of our organization. We have created a stable base of donors and while we have a number of generous donors the majority of our contributions are smaller ones made by individuals who love to support the work we do.
Our accomplished Board of Directors meets regularly to brainstorm, develop and execute plans for spreading the word about the work that we do and raising funds. Their work includes events, sales of Ugandan crafts, our biannual newsletter, and our annual fundraising campaign.
We have partnered with various schools and places of worship for fundraising and educational activities that have included clothing, shoe and backpack drives; presentations about life in Uganda; and sales of Ugandan crafts hand made by our families. Our guest house provides a venue for those we meet through our partnerships and other endeavors to come and experience, first hand, life in a Ugandan village.
This past year saw our first successful grant application, from Trip Advisor Foundation, for the purchase of heavy machinery for our Vocational Training Centre. We look forward to pursuing more grant applications in the future.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
CONNECT AFRICA FOUNDATION INC
Board of directorsas of 11/02/2022
Gabriella Salvatore
Abby Elmore
MariAlyce Worden
Melissa Mann
Russell Gilmore
Kim Nelson
Annette Zaale Champney
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data