Throughout the start of summer, the AIA Center has been humming back to life. We’ve been saying it a lot lately, but it is so great to see all of our programs fully up and running after two long years of lockdown. The sound of laughter and pencils being sharpened, the smell of hot porridge cooking, the piles of shoes outside all the classrooms…We just couldn’t be any happier!
The after-school program has resumed and students have been busy with activities such as exam prep, homework assistance, creative learning exercises, lots of playing, and enjoying Mama Sheilah’s famous hot porridge. For years, the kids have claimed it to be “the best porridge in all of Nakuwadde!"
The adults have also been active - teachers have resumed their in-person professional development workshops, our adult English learners just took their end-of-semester assessment exam, and our Women to Women group has been meeting and supporting one another every Friday. It’s been so gratifying to see our community come together again.
Personally, I have been excitedly preparing for my first trip back to Nakuwadde since June 2021. I am looking forward to spending the month of June catching up on all that the team has accomplished, visiting with our secondary and university scholarship students, meeting Christine our new Education Specialist in person for the first time, joining in on a few dance classes, and so much more. There will be plenty of photos and updates from my time on the ground to come. Make sure you are following our Instagram (@actioninafrica) for all the latest and greatest!
Meet AIA Scholarship Recipient Sumayya Nakawuki!
Sumayya is a 21-year-old international business student at Makerere University, one of Africa’s oldest and most prestigious institutes of higher learning.
But before she became a poised young business student, she was one of AIA’s earliest and most dedicated program participants. Sumayya first discovered AIA while walking through her neighborhood when she was just 13. While initially shy and reserved - as you can see from this unedited video recorded in 2015 - she quickly broke out of her shell to become one of AIA’s most enthusiastic advocates.
Even at a young age, Sumayya’s dedication to learning and service was immediately apparent through the hours she spent each day in the AIA library reading and tutoring younger students. In order to support this promising young woman, AIA awarded her a secondary scholarship as well as a volunteer position as Action in Africa's very own librarian.
But Sumayya's enthusiasm hasn't been limited to one AIA program - the salsa dancing she learned during our after school program helped secure her reputation at school as a “queen dancer” and evolve into the confident young woman she is today.
Thanks to your support for deserving students like her, Sumayya is currently attending university with a full-ride scholarship from Action in Africa. Her dreams for the future include working internationally for a global company as well as joining AIA's Scholarship Society as a monthly donor “ in order to give a hand and create more scholarship opportunities for students who can't afford education.”
Did you know that we currently have 19 students enrolled in our University Scholarship Program? Between full tuition, monthly stipends to help with living costs and school supplies, and each student being gifted a laptop at enrollment, this program costs Action in Africa approximately $30,000 a year.
To change a life by giving to our University Scholarship Program, click below!
Thanks to your incredible support, we raised 10% more than our $5,000 Goal for our 2022 Computer Campaign! This will allowus to purchase 10 much-needed new laptops and a printer for the AIA office in Uganda! A huge thank you to all who gave!
Clare Bergman
Sarah Chiles
Dr. Robert and Candice Christensen
Denise Crawford
Jan Edwards
Carlie Foerster
Maria Mancuso Gersh
Debbie Hunter
Haley Kaufman
Barbara Menendez
Andrea Lewellyn
Elizabeth Mesker
Carol Nemiec
Robert Nininger
Lexie Potamkin
Jerry Price
Carlie Salazar
Andrea Scherer
Rebecca Dakota Verdiani
Friends of Africa International
Since the launch of Alexa Leigh's partnership with AIA, we have been able to provide over 66,000 hot meals for AIA community members! Due to the success of this campaign, Alexa Leigh has redesigned their popular Heart and Soul bracelet and will continue to contribute 1,000 hot meals for each one sold.
To purchase the new Heart and Soul bracelet and support AIA, click here!
Join us for AIA’s Quarterly Summit on July 23rd at 8:30 AM MT!
We are postponing our Q2 summit due to Sarah’s trip, but are looking forward to reconnecting you with our team in Uganda on July 23! Register using the link below.
Come find AIA and the Aspen High School Club at the Aspen Farmer’s Market on July 2nd. We'll be on the corner of Hunter and Hyman from 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM.
Thanks to our partnership with Creamies Premium Ice Cream, we'll be giving out handheld ice cream bars, which are a perfect pre-Fourth of July treat. We'll also be giving away some of our Muganda Bracelets and other AIA merch so come by, say hi, and hear from Sarah about her latest trip to Nakuwadde!
By supporting Action in Africa, you are helping us serve the children, women, and schools we work with in Uganda. Consider making a one-time or monthly tax-deductible contribution with the link below.
