AFRICAID INC
Mentor Girls. Develop Leaders. Transform Communities.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We focus on girls because girls are especially vulnerable to dropping out of school, and when girls stay in school the result is socially responsible women who secure better jobs, raise healthier families, and create lasting positive change in their communities. Girls who are fortunate enough to enroll in secondary school then face significant financial, cultural, and environmental challenges that undermine their ability to make the most of the secondary school opportunity. As a result, many young women fail to complete secondary school. Once they reach the workforce, women are much less likely to occupy leadership positions, and they earn significantly less than their male counterparts. Obstacles to finishing secondary school include poverty (88%), pregnancy (60%), and early marriage (55%). When a girl drops out of school, not only is her healthy adolescent development and transition into productive adulthood impacted, but she is exposed to challenges she is ill-equipped to overcome.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Kisa Project
Kisa Project is a two-year leadership course that prepares young women in their last two years of secondary school (ages 17-21) to attend university and create positive social change in their communities.
Kisa means “story” in Swahili. Through the Kisa Project, young Tanzanian women are empowered to become the creative authors of their own future stories. Kisa gives young women the confidence and skills they need to reach their personal potential, pursue excellence in leadership, prepare for future employment, and initiate and contribute to meaningful change in their communities and the broader society.
Binti Shupavu
Binti Shupavu (“Courageous Daughters” in Kiswahili) is a four-year life-skills course for girls in lower secondary school (ages 13-18), covering topics such as study skills, personal leadership, health, and self-confidence with the goal of increasing graduation rates among vulnerable girls.
Where we work
Awards
Champions of Quality Education in Africa 2009
Ashoka Changemakers/William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
External reviews

Photos
Videos
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?
AfricAid’s mission is to improve the standing of women in society through robust, locally-led mentorship initiatives that cultivate confidence, improve academic and health outcomes, and promote socially-responsible leadership skills.
AfricAid supports the work of our sister organization, GLAMI (Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative), in providing mentorship opportunities to secondary school girls in Tanzania to complete their education, develop into confident leaders, and transform their own lives and their communities. We equip girls to overcome challenges and reach their full potential because educated girls create lasting positive change. The outcome is proactive, resilient, and socially responsible girls who secure better jobs, raise healthier families, and increase the standing of women in society.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We accomplish this through two extracurricular mentoring programs: Binti Shupavu and Kisa Project.
Binti Shupavu means “courageous daughters” in Swahili. Binti Shupavu is a four-year life skills course for lower secondary school girls covering topics such as study skills, personal leadership, health, and self-confidence with the goal of increasing graduation rates for vulnerable girls. Through Binti Shupavu, Tanzanian girls are empowered to become brave leaders. Tanzanian girls are often discouraged from finishing secondary school, and even those who attend face myriad obstacles both within and outside the classroom. Binti supports girls to build the resilience and skills they need to complete secondary school, continue their education or gain meaningful employment, and become role models for other girls.
Kisa Project is a two-year leadership course that prepares girls in their last two years of secondary school to attend university and create positive social change in their communities. Kisa means “story” in Swahili. Through the Kisa Project, young Tanzanian women are empowered to become the creative authors of their own future stories. Young women in Tanzania are not generally taught to believe they are equal to their male counterparts and rarely have role models to show them otherwise. Kisa supports young women to build the confidence and skills they need to pursue excellence in leadership, prepare for future employment, and initiate meaningful societal change.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Binti Shupavu and Kisa Project programs are delivered to Scholars by Mentors. All of our Mentors are young, university-educated Tanzanian women who receive extensive training to provide meaningful and effective support to Scholars. These women understand the needs of Scholars, given they have recently overcome the same challenges that the Scholars now face and can provide living proof of the possibility of success.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Binti Shupavu Impacts
Outcome 1: Binti Shupavu Alumnae are resilient and prepared for future challenges.
Upon graduation from the program, Binti Alumnae are 28% more resilient according to a quantitative scale of resiliency than they were at the start.
Outcome 2: Binti Shupavu Scholars graduate from lower secondary school.
98% of Scholars graduate from lower secondary, compared to a national graduation rate of about 69%.
Outcome 3: The parents and communities of Binti Shupavu Alumnae support girls to continue their education.
Teachers of Binti Scholars notice a change in their academic achievements and gain more respect for girls’ capabilities.
Kisa Project Impacts
Outcome 1: Kisa Alumnae engage in community development.
The most popular plan for the future among Kisa graduates is to work in community development. 87% of Kisa graduates report having already brought up gender issues in their communities.
Outcome 2: Kisa Alumnae’s communities recognize the worth of girls and women.
85% of Kisa graduates in 2019 report that a change has taken place in their communities due to Kisa. Changes include improved gender equality and less pregnancy.
Outcome 3: Kisa Alumnae are confident leaders.
78% of Kisa graduates in 2019 report that they hold a leadership role, 20% more than at baseline. 100% of Kisa graduates (whose results we obtained) passed their final school exam in 2018, and 97% of Alumnae transition to higher education.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
-
With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
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.
AFRICAID INC
Board of directorsas of 06/29/2020
Benjamin Strawn
no affiliation
Term: 2018 - 2020
Erin Saade
Mark Williams
No Affiliation
Ashley Shuyler Carter
No Affiliation
Tom Leonard
Rodney Bell
Michael Eber
Katie Flanagan
Diane Hazel
Emma Winiecki
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes