Jamii Africa currently supports two human development projects in Africa:
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The Ganvié Village Project
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Elimu Scholarship Fund
Elimu Scholarship Fund
("elimu" is a Kiswahili word for education/instruction) is a
project conceived and initiated by the
Kenyan International Community. It comprises of the payment of
school fees for high school students who are recognized as academically
gifted, but who's circumstances make it difficult for them to raise
funds to pay for their education. A number of them are orphans.
Details of this program can be found at
www.elimufund.org.
Ganvié is a village entirely on water. The meaning of the name is "we survived", a poignant reminder of the historical events that brought the village into existence. In the 17th Century, the Kingdom of Abome was waging war against neighboring tribes, on a mission to capture prisoners of war to supply the transatlantic slave trade. The chief of this tribe conceived an ingenious plan to shelter his people in the middle of lake Nokoue where enemies and slavers could not capture them. From rafts and canoes, a village system on water emerged, including markets, and today schools, restaurants, churches, clinics, etc.
Today, villagers face stark challenges to provide social and educational opportunities to their growing population. Jamii Africa includes this village system in each Summer's African Pilgrimage itinerary, and provides the children of Ganvié with basic supplies for their school and recreation (pencils, note books, coloring pencils, sharpeners, band aid, etc) during these visits.