Student Luncheon at Africare

On Thursday the 12^th of June, undergraduate students were granted the opportunity to have lunch with the distinguished Mr. Julius Coles to learn about the organization Africare. Mr. Coles, a former senior official with USAID and a graduate of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, has served as the president of Africare since 2002. Africare is the oldest and largest African-American run organization in the field of international development. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Africans as it partners with communities and African organizations to address three principle areas:

· food security and agriculture

· health and HIV/AIDS

· emergency response

Its grassroots focus is embodied by the philosophy “There are no Africare programs, only African programs.” Currently serving in 25 countries and allocating $50 million annually, Africare has successfully completely over 2,500 development and humanitarian projects in 38 years and delivered over $710 million in aid. With an overhead cost of only 9.1%, Africare receives high ratings from non-profit watchdogs such as American Philanthropy and Charity Navigator. This organization works with all sectors of society as it receives 52% of its funding from the government, significant funding from foundations such as the Gates Foundation, and partners with the Private Sector. Africare has a partnership with Shell in Nigeria to combat Malaria and with Exxon Mobil to promote women’s education in Angola and Chad, just to name a few. Additionally, Africare is a member of the Millennium Water Alliance and works with other NGOs in promoting development and assisting the needs of Africans.

Africare was founded during the Sahelian drought in the early 1970s by Dr. Kirker and his wife as a charity. PeaceCorp Officers Dr. Joseph C. Kennedy and C. Payne Lucas, a former Chairman of UNDP-USA, helped reform the charity and had it incorporated as Africare in May of 1971. The first president of Niger, Hamani Diori, served as a Co-founder and the first Chairman of Africare. From the beginning Africare has exemplified a commitment to partnership between Africans and Americas for the well-being of Africa and her people. Whether Africare workers are engaged in combating HIV/AIDS, helping orphans in a community in Uganda, educating girls in Chad, or participating in microfinance to allow women to have their own businesses, Africare is working to improve the quality of life for Africans with Africans.

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Sponsor: Africare
Date: June 12, 2008
Time: 12:30-2 pm
Representative Attending: Jessica Walker