How Asante Africa Foundation supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
It’s no surprise that rooted in a few of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, programs led by Asante Africa Foundation achieve results that help alleviate poverty and empower leadership by fostering the development of educated and resilient youth.
Our programs emphasize:
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- Quality learning in the classroom
- Peer-to-peer mentoring
- Gender equity
- Community activism (with active parent and stakeholder engagement)
- Work/life skills & entrepreneurship
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals information
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth.
How Asante Africa Foundation supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
From eliminating poverty to strengthening partnerships for sustainable development, there are a total of 17 sustainable development goals that the UN’s participating countries have agreed upon.
While all of these goals are critical to creating a more equitable and peaceful world, there are three in particular that are emblematic of the work our program participants do.
Here’s a breakdown of the UN’s SDG goals 4, 5, and 8, and how each goal is supported by a specific program within the Asante Africa Foundation.
Sustainable Development Goal #4: Ensuring an inclusive and equitable quality education
| How Asante Africa helps meet the challenge | Global progress toward this goal per the UN | Ways you can help to support this goal |
| Accelerated Learning Program & Scholarships | If no additional measures are taken, only 1 in 6 countries will meet SDG4 and achieve universal access to quality education by 2030 | Empower a student by funding a scholarship |
Let’s face it, because of the pandemic and other factors, the countries of the world (including those in rural East Africa) are behind in meeting the UN’s 2030 goal for providing inclusive and equitable education.
In Africa alone, 65 million young people are not enrolled in secondary school.
Asante Africa strives to combat this trend through our Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) and the issuing of scholarships. First, the ALP provides teachers in rural East Africa with the support and training to create a highly engaging learning environment. By proxy, teachers are better equipped to accelerate their students’ literacy, math skills, and digital competency, resulting in higher quality educational outcomes for the 21st century.
Secondly, our scholarships provide low-income families an opportunity for their children to receive financial aid, student support, and a quality education. We stress the family aspect of a scholarship because we view family engagement as critical to good behavior, academic achievement, and accountability.
The scholarships we issue are both merit and need based for exceptional students and together they offer shared responsibility between Asante Africa staff and the community.
Join us in this effort to support the sustainable development goals by helping to fund a scholarship.
Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
| How Asante Africa helps meet the challenge | Global progress toward this goal per the UN | Ways you can help to support this goal |
| Wezesha Vijana Program | The world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. At the current rate of progress, it is estimated that it will take almost 300 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws concerning women. | Look to supply textbooks, classroom supplies or even meals by working with local, national, or global charities. |
Girls in rural East Africa face many cultural and economic challenges, among them being forced into early marriage and gender-based assault/violence. Empowering young girls to take control of their future is central to our mission.
The Wezesha Vijana Program addresses the intellectual, social, and professional life skills development of young women through the lens of a woman-centered design. Subject matter includes goal setting, confidence building, physical hygiene, teen pregnancy and HIV awareness, networking, financial literacy, and more.
There’s a direct, data-based correlation from successful education for girls to a more equitable, safe, and productive society for all.
And while global crises like the pandemic have exacerbated existing gender inequalities, programs like Wezesha Vijana help upper-primary level adolescent girls succeed by treating them as active participants rather than passive beneficiaries.
Learn how Zipporah’s participation in Wezesha Vijana helped her start a business
Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all
| How Asante Africa helps meet the challenge | Global progress toward this goal per the UN | Ways you can help to support this goal |
| Youth Livelihood Program | The world is far from reaching most of the targets of SDG8. Global real GDP per capita is forecast to slow down in 2023, putting at risk not just employment and income but also advances in equitable pay for women and decent work for young people. | Consider alternative donations like frequent flyer miles, stock, or legacy giving. All contributions help the organization supply the resources needed. |
19 out of every 20 young East African workers are working in low paying, informal jobs (East Africa – ILO-2022). That’s a far cry from “sustainable economic growth and productive employment.”
Asante Africa’s Youth Livelihood Program equips young people with the necessary tools to achieve a successful future by providing training and skill building that manifests in employability training, hands-on projects, enterprise gaming, and business enterprise creation.
YPL is structured in successive levels – from foundational entrepreneurial skills to advanced business growth planning – that, if completed, give East African youth the knowledge to achieve their dreams.
And while uncontrollable factors can negatively impact employment (from trade policy to national debt to war), programs like Youth Livelihood are making everyday progress.
Just last year, 68% of program graduates were supporting their family income and as a result, reducing the household poverty level.
Conclusion
All of Asante Africa’s programs include both academic studies focus and the development of age-appropriate life skills. Across the programs, we support at-risk youth by embedding a scholarship fund for those students most at risk of school drop-out.
System challenges require system solutions. It’s through the spirit of partnership – from global organizations like the United Nations to local communities and families – that disadvantaged youth are empowered to bring about the mission of sustainable development.
WRITTEN BY: Christopher Bass