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Africa Educational Trust (AET)
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International NGO
Company Type
Education
Industry
201-500
Company Size
London
Head quarter
https://africaeducationaltrust.org/
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The Founding of the Africa Educational Trust
The Africa Educational Trust (AET) was founded in 1958 to support education for African people, particularly those involved in the continent’s struggle for independence
The founders were strong opponents of colonial rule and brought together prominent activists, such as the Reverend Michael Scott, with leading academics in African Studies including Professor Kenneth Kirkwood and Professor Roland Oliver
Together, the founders raised funds to support African students, especially exiles and refugees from white minority regimes in Southern Africa
This enabled them to obtain higher education in Europe (mostly the UK) and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to build and lead independent states. Scholarship Provision Between 1958 and 1996, nearly 6,000 exiles and students from all over Africa – South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria and Ghana – gained higher level academic and vocational qualifications in the UK, thanks to support from AET. Notable scholarship students have included: Kenneth Kaunda, former President of the Republic of Zambia Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was the first female head of the African Union Commission and is currently Minister in the Presidency for the National Planning Commission for Policy and Evaluation Dr Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa Professor Derrick Swartz, former Vice Chancellor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University as well as former Vice Chancellor and Principal of Fort Hare University, South Africa Professor Peter Katjavivi, Speaker of Parliament, Namibia Bience Gawanas, Special Adviser on Africa for United Nations, former Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Commission Shift to In-Country Programmes With the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1993, the time for providing scholarships for African political activists came to a close
AET shifted to a developmental approach and started to provide on the ground support to education in African countries
AET decided to prioritise work in fragile states and areas of conflict where many people were unjustly excluded from access to education
Education projects were started in Somaliland in 1996 and South Sudan in 1997
These later expanded to other parts of Somalia, Uganda and Kenya
The programmes have concentrated on finding innovative ways to provide formal and non-formal education for disadvantaged children and young people
Our work has a strong focus on promoting gender equality and a commitment to working with and through local communities and organisations and also with regional and national authorities. To date, our programmes in Africa have benefited over three million children, young people and adults
AET continues to advance the case for education for all in the belief that education will provide the means for people to recover from poverty, conflict and restore representative and responsive government.
The founders were strong opponents of colonial rule and brought together prominent activists, such as the Reverend Michael Scott, with leading academics in African Studies including Professor Kenneth Kirkwood and Professor Roland Oliver
Together, the founders raised funds to support African students, especially exiles and refugees from white minority regimes in Southern Africa
This enabled them to obtain higher education in Europe (mostly the UK) and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to build and lead independent states. Scholarship Provision Between 1958 and 1996, nearly 6,000 exiles and students from all over Africa – South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria and Ghana – gained higher level academic and vocational qualifications in the UK, thanks to support from AET. Notable scholarship students have included: Kenneth Kaunda, former President of the Republic of Zambia Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was the first female head of the African Union Commission and is currently Minister in the Presidency for the National Planning Commission for Policy and Evaluation Dr Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa Professor Derrick Swartz, former Vice Chancellor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University as well as former Vice Chancellor and Principal of Fort Hare University, South Africa Professor Peter Katjavivi, Speaker of Parliament, Namibia Bience Gawanas, Special Adviser on Africa for United Nations, former Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Commission Shift to In-Country Programmes With the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1993, the time for providing scholarships for African political activists came to a close
AET shifted to a developmental approach and started to provide on the ground support to education in African countries
AET decided to prioritise work in fragile states and areas of conflict where many people were unjustly excluded from access to education
Education projects were started in Somaliland in 1996 and South Sudan in 1997
These later expanded to other parts of Somalia, Uganda and Kenya
The programmes have concentrated on finding innovative ways to provide formal and non-formal education for disadvantaged children and young people
Our work has a strong focus on promoting gender equality and a commitment to working with and through local communities and organisations and also with regional and national authorities. To date, our programmes in Africa have benefited over three million children, young people and adults
AET continues to advance the case for education for all in the belief that education will provide the means for people to recover from poverty, conflict and restore representative and responsive government.