Uwezo Brands was developed by Empower African Children to create awareness for the organization and a surplus that contributes to student services and organizational expenses, decreasing the dependency on donors. Empower scholars play an active role in Uwezo Brands, either by learning, seeing, doing, or participating.
Every Uwezo product is made in Africa, by Africans, for the American market. Each sale contributes to Empower’s vision of realizing the promise of Africa’s youth by funding scholarships hardworking students have earned through their academic and social performance.
Uwezo is the opposite of charity. In fact, the very word means “capable” in Swahili. The brand is born of the radiance and hard-won joy of East Africans. It sends a clear message to our students: that they have the power to turn surviving into thriving. No charity, just the opportunity to earn their own way in the world.
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Empower African Children, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, was launched in 2006 by Alexis Hefley and Donna Malouf, following Hefley’s 15 years of work with Ugandan children. Empower strives to provide a fresh approach that unlocks the potential of a new generation of leaders through experiential learning. The organization’s holistic approach provides tools for success in life, thus inspiring confident, skillful, and visionary leaders.
