What is Asante Africa Foundation?
Asante Africa Foundation, Inc. is an East African Children's Education Fund. We are a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to providing quality education to children in East Africa. We form partnerships with African communities and work with passionate local program managers who are deeply committed to creating change in their African villages. We envision African communities and families in which children have the opportunity to receive QUALITY education to define their futures. Generous contributions from Asante Africa Foundation donors bring these dreams to life.
Local villagers define their needs for achieving quality education, through infrastructures for all children attending school (such as construction of schools and sanitation facilities, serving a daily meal), providing teaching resources and educational materials, and funding scholarships for highly motivated and academically gifted children.
Asante Africa Foundation, Inc. was formed and officially incorporated in the state of California in August 2006. Asante Africa Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in the USA (EIN# 71-1010614) providing our donors with 100% tax deductions in accordance with all IRS giving laws.
We are not affiliated with any religious or political entity or institution. We rely solely on your generous donations to complete projects such as building schools, water lines, and sanitation facilities, providing resources and materials to help teachers be better teachers, and funding scholarships for children.
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What is the Asante Africa Foundation vision?
We envision African communities and families in which the children have the opportunity to received QUALITY education to define their futures.
Every child deserves an education and the opportunity to choose their future, regardless of the latitude or longitude in which they are born. Through education, every child can make their dreams a reality, help their families improve their quality of life, be happier and healthier, and help their communities become self sustaining.
What is the mission of Asante Africa Foundation?
We provide funding that creates a safe place to learn, provides teaching resources and educational materials and grants scholarships to highly motivated and academically gifted children.
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What does the Foundation do in the African communities?
We achieve our vision and mission through in-country collaboration with passionate, committed individuals who act as our in-country program managers. They live and breathe the dream and hope of creating a better life and stronger communities in the villages where they live and work. We believe strongly that it is not our place to provide western solutions to others' communities, and rely on local contacts to propose solutions that work within their communities and cultures.
We fund projects that:
- Create a safer, healthier place to learn by building physical infrastructure (construction of schools, kitchens, dormitories) and improving basic health and sanitation services at the school (providing water sources, daily porridge, toilets).
- Help teachers be better teachers (supplies for the classroom, musical instruments, learning materials for the teachers).
- Assist academically talented or highly motivated children get into schools that they might not otherwise have an opportunity to reach.
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In which countries is Asante Africa Foundation operating?
Asante Africa Foundation currently works in the East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania. In Tanzania, projects are in Mto Wa Mbu, a small village in the northeast and in the Ilkurot area, a high need community north of Arusha. In Kenya, projects are in Narok, in the Loita Hills near the border of Tanzania, and in Limuru, just outside of Nairobi. In the future we hope to expand into other parts of East Africa, but in the next few years we will focus on building our credibility in the communities where we are currently working, and demonstrating to our donors that we are successfully doing what we say we will do.
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How effectively are funds used?
Approximately 90% of donations to Asante Africa Foundation support in-country programs and projects, jointly planned with local program managers. The Asante Africa Foundation is a volunteer-based organization, driven and determined to keep the commitments that we make to our in-country partners. As a result, we analyze needs before we commit, aggressively fund raise, and closely measure the results.
Our first two years were a test of our ability to deliver, and we are proud of the credibility and trust we have begun to establish with our in-country partners and donors in the USA, Europe, and Africa. Our financial statement and latest annual report are available here. For more information about our program work, please click here.
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What are funds needed for and what are the projects?
We focus on three major Program Areas, with the following sample projects:
- Creating safer, healthier places to learn. We assess the needs and distribute funds for building infrastructure (schools, kitchens, dormitories). We improve health and hygiene by bringing clean water sources to schools, providing porridge at noontime, and building adequate sanitation toilets.
- Helping teachers be better teachers. We provide teachers with basic supplies and furniture for the classrooms, textbooks, training opportunities, and learning materials.
- Sponsoring the gift of education. We assist academically talented children get into schools that they might not otherwise have an opportunity reach.
For a full view of various projects we have funded successfully, and our future goals, see our financial statement and latest annual report here.
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How can I donate?
We accept donations by mail or online through Pay Pal, with the option of setting up a recurring donation from your credit or debit card. We also accept non-cash donations, and gifts of stock certificates. Your donations are fully tax-deductible in accordance with all Internal Revenue Service giving laws, and you will be sent a receipt within 30 days of your donation. A list of items needed for non-cash donations and information on how your money can help can be found here.
Mailing address: Asante Africa Foundation, 1334 Carlton Place, Livermore, California 94550.
Click here to donate online via Pay Pal:
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Can I have my company make matching contributions?
Asante Africa Foundation enthusiastically accepts corporate donations. Talk to your company about matching donations, and let us know how we can support completing the process with you. Corporate giving campaigns often begin in late summer, so contact your Human Resources or community benefit department to find out how to include Asante Africa Foundation as an option. Email us at info@asanteafrica.org or call us at 925-292-0245 if we can help in any way.
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Can I see how contributions are spent?
Yes. Our current financial statement is available here. We fully document results of all of our projects and teams through photos and video, and welcome requests for additional detail. Approximately 90% of your donation goes directly to the programs we are funding in Tanzania and Kenya. Our objective is to keep administration costs as low as possible, and we also recognize the need for a solid infrastructure to support our growth.
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Can I go on a trip with the Foundation? How can I volunteer in Tanzania or Kenya?
Asante Africa Foundation does not offer overseas volunteer opportunities. As a grass-roots, small non profit organization, we have limited financial resources that we devote primarily to community-based projects in Africa. We keep overhead costs to a minimum, and are therefore unable to dedicate resources to adequately manage an international volunteer program, be responsible for volunteers traveling overseas, and manage their work in the field. Our limited staff cannot provide the liaison between the locals and foreign volunteers, which is essential for a positive experience in this region due to language and cultural barriers.
At times, however, we seek volunteers with specific skills to help teach, coach, and leave skills behind in the community. This might include architecture, land surveying, teacher training, and teaching English as a second language. If you have this kind of skill and experience, please contact us to see if we currently need this kind of volunteer.
We encourage the enthusiasm, curiosity, and determination of those who wish to help in the world, and encourage you to pursue opportunities with other international volunteer organizations. Here are a few suggestions, and many more can be found with a browse of the Internet:
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How can I provide a scholarship for a child?
Providing scholarships for the education costs for children is one of our greatest needs. Asante Africa Foundation raises funds to provide scholarships to students, both girls and boys, for a school year ($700). We provide scholarships to students who are academically talented, eager to learn, and financially challenged. You can provide a student scholarship even if you live outside of United States. Click here for more information on our student scholarships. As the school terms begin, we will coordinate enrollment of the children on our waiting list, and let you know a bit about your student and facilitate a letter exchange if you wish.
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How can I volunteer?
Asante Africa Foundation is almost completely volunteer-operated. In addition to monetary help, we need support in several other ways. Even if you are unable to donate money, you can help conduct a fundraising event, introduce us to key leaders and influencers, spread the word by sharing our newsletter and our website, and you can volunteer your time to keep our administrative costs low.
We have volunteer opportunities for everyone to enhance and learn new skills, network with others and directly impact the lives of thousands of children in East Africa.
Find out about areas where we need immediate help. You can be part of a highly-motivated, nonprofit organization run almost entirely by volunteers. And more important, you can make a huge difference in the world.
To learn more about these opportunities and others, please contact Asante Africa volunteer coordinator, Ashley McHale at ashley.mchale@gmail.com, or call 925-292-0245.
Click here for more information on how you can help support fundraising.
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