In Africa Foundation is a private nonprofit development organization established in February 2003 by Catherine Stuart to help alleviate poverty in rural Africa through participatory development. Our goal is to encourage self help and self reliance empowering individuals and communities to establish independence and sustainability.
The foundation provides technical assistance, training, strategies and tools to help individuals and community enterprises become established, grow, and integrate into markets and value chains. Our unique model matches market researched and campaign-driven global demand to the supply of a wide range of products created by the many microenterprises we support.
Using and building on this proven methodology, In Africa Foundation aims to empower people through recognition of their inherited traditional skills, combined with diversification, collaboration and the fusion of contemporary design. Through our retail channels we provide direct, international market access for a growing number of communities throughout Africa.
The foundation's approach to rural development is a holistic one. It identifies rural development requirements and implements workable needs-based infrastructure solutions including village water supply and purification, sanitation, renewable energy, bio fuel projects, rural food security projects and entrepreneurial skills based education. Addressing these needs assists in everyday living and health issues and enables individuals to increase productivity within the community enterprise. In this way, In Africa Foundation's efforts complement other development programs in the region.
The foundation's planned expansion program in development, global marketing and sales is supported by a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals providing consulting, management and ongoing development skills to ensure the goals of empowerment, poverty alleviation and lasting change continue to be met.
In Africa Foundation was founded by Catherine Stuart and evolved out of pilot projects started in 1998. The aim was to develop and build on existing demand for African art, craft and décor wares around the world and to use this demand to create employment and alleviate poverty in rural Africa. The organization established centres to manage the sourcing, development, marketing and export of products and introduced the successful 'In Africa' brand of merchandise.
Catherine Stuart was born and educated in South Africa and left the country in 1974 to work internationally and extend her professional qualifications and expertise in finance, project management and development. In 1991, she joined a company working in the redevelopment of war-torn countries in Africa. During this period, she was exposed to the art and culture of these regions. Utilising the immense skill base, Catherine worked to create microenterprise projects within remote rural communities in a bid to create employment opportunities. She initiated and monitored three pilot projects in 1998 engaging an international designer to collaborate with the community craftsmen and women to produce a line of functional home and décor ware and fashion products. The first of these products caught the attention of stores in Europe and the USA. Production commenced to supply clients and continues through today.
In just two years, In Africa Foundation successfully established a supply network in several African countries including warehousing, consolidation and shipping facilities and a distribution network encompassing Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the USA. Accelerating market demand brought about a need to establish further community development and strategic partnerships thus extending employment opportunities. In 2008, In Africa Foundation entered into an agreement with a private funding body for long-term funding and support.