About Us
Our Story
Founded in 2016 and legalized in 2017, Afri Educare Alliance(AECA) was established by a group of young professionals, gender specialists, Educationists, social workers and community workers who were concerned with the plight of the rural people, especially those in hard-to-reach areas and those rendered vulnerable in Nyanza. The main target to the interventions were minority groups and those individuals that faced exclusions such as widows, displaced women and their families, school drop-outs, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) as well as HIV and AIDS infected and affected persons who are all main beneficiaries of AECA’s programs. AECA uses a participatory people centred approach to tackle some of the most challenging social problems.
The organisation
The organisation was born in response to the wide-spread of HIV epidemic in Homabay and Migori Counties, particularly among rural communities which were left unattended. The pioneer group of social workers, educators, agricultural experts, doctors and nurses and other well-wishers decided to focus on serving the rural populations with information about the virus and educational support for children affected by the epidemic.
Education, Welfare, and Protection
While working on the ground, we realised that child education cannot be done in isolation, without ensuring the welfare of the whole family. Protection is also a part of education. A child will not go to school if he is sick or hungry. If a child’s parents are afflicted with health problems, he might drop-out of school and start earning instead. Unless the caregiver is healthy and empowered, the child cannot be either. It is all interlinked.
Expanding Impact
Our other programmes evolved as a logical progression to our education programme – be it livelihood, health or women empowerment.
Today, children and education continue to remain at the centre of all we do, but through the lifecycle approach we also addressed the needs of the children’s families and communities.
This saw the birth of the core departments within the organisation – Education Sponsorship, Gender and Protection, Capacity Building and Governance.
Enhancing Capacity Building and Governance Efforts
In the course of carrying out activities in the Capacity building and Governance Department, we realised that our sensitisation and capacity building efforts required a third leg for the economic empowerment of the most marginalized groups especially women and girls.
Mission
Our Mission is to empower underprivileged children, youth and women through relevant education, protection and market-focused livelihood programmes for their families.
Vision
Work as a catalyst in bringing sustainable change in the lives of lesser privileged children and families in Kenya.
Our Belief
We believe that education is both the means as well as the end to a better life: the means because it empowers an individual to earn his/her livelihood and the end because it increases one’s awareness on a range of issues – from healthcare to appropriate social behaviour to understanding one’s rights – and in the process help him/her evolve as a better citizen. Education is the most effective tool which helps children build a strong foundation; enabling them to free themselves from the vicious cycle of ignorance, poverty and disease.