Why AJRAF?
Neima grew up in Sierra Leone, West Africa, watching her father Dr. Albert Joyle Macfoy, now deceased, always lending a helping hand to poor and needy people in his community. As a teenager she took an interest in this because she saw the huge difference a small charitable effort made to the life of someone in need.
During a trip to Sierra Leone in December 1998 Neima was moved by the sufferings caused by the war on the lives of innocent civilians (especially children, young people and the elderly). She was moved not only by the enormity of people’s hardship, but their resilience and courage as they continued to struggle to rebuild their dismantled lives. She returned to London determined to contribute to Sierra Leone’s recovery and to other West Africans whose lives were disrupted by war or other disasters. In May 2001 with the support of family, friends and colleagues, she set up AJRAF to assist these people. In November 2002 AJRAF became a registered charity in England and in 2003 a registered INGO in Sierra Leone.
AJRAF started by assisting children in orphanages and displaced people’s camps with old clothes and shoes and donating funds to small community restoration projects in Sierra Leone; and in London supporting Black and minority ethnic groups, especially Sierra Leoneans access training to gain skills that lead to sustainable jobs.
AJRAF now has a Resource Centre in Hackney where it continues to serve the training and employment needs, but of a wider BME community and people who are unemployed and economically inactive in London. Free information, advice, guidance and training with job search support to access meaningful work are provided. One of AJRAF’s aspirations for those who are supported to find employment or training is to make a positive contribution within their communities.
In Sierra Leone, AJRAF provides 100 secondary school pupils with scholarship that pays for school fees, uniforms and learning materials; supports the work of NEDIC a Children’s Home and works in partnership with community groups to identify those who are most in need.
Neima’s vision for AJRAF in Sierra Leone is wider than its current activities. She has plans for AJRAF to increase the number of children benefiting from schooling to 10,000, support organisations working with young people, set up vocational skills training centres and build affordable housing. She believes that through these self-help initiatives, AJRAF will help break the cycle of poverty and homelessness and enable poor people to take control of and improve their lives. In its small way AJRAF has begun to do this:
…my life before was like living in a dark world where you walk and see no light but I found joy and relief from that world of darkness through your scholarship. The scholarship has given me a focus in life which I lost many years ago due to poverty… I can focus aiming to be a great man in my country not a beggar- Birch Conteh
AJRAF supports its work in Africa mainly with donations from individuals. AJRAF’s Scholarship Fund relies on donations from the general public to enable students graduate and obtain work. Regular contributions from graduates will maintain the scholarship fund in the long term. But until sufficient graduates start earning, AJRAF is requesting financial assistance from you - £30 helps a child attend school for a whole year!
To support/fundraise for AJRAF please email
[email protected] or Tel: 020 7739 4730
Website: www.ajraf.org |
