Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Nkundabantu. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Dr. Grace was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and East Africa in a Christian family where her education began with learning of God’s love through her parent’s powerful example of love unto others. Her father is a pastor who spreads the hope of Christ by sharing the Gospel of Jesus with the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other East African countries.
Grace and her family lived in different refugee camps in East Africa, the Republic of Congo (also called Congo – Brazzaville). In those camps, Grace began learning about other cultures and she grew to love people she did not know, sharing her gift of singing with other children and in the church. In every place she lived, Grace continued to see and experience the power of simple generosity as those experiences became constant reminders of God’s love to her and her family.
Eventually, the family moved to Kenya, where Grace studied Accounting at Daystar University in Nairobi. Grace’s father could not afford tuition, but the Lord had given Grace a great desire to go to school. As she attended class, despite not having the money, Grace prayed and believed that God would provide the money for her education. Eventually, God provided the funds through the generosity of unknown donors from the United States to pay for her tuition in full. God used his people to fulfill Grace’s desire for education.
Upon arrival in the United States, Dr. Grace was able to continue with her Master’s degree in Global Organizational Management, thereafter, completed her PhD in Global Human Services/ Behavioral Sciences. She is the first woman from her community with the highest education! Girls education in her community was not a priority to them. Girls are pushed for early marriages at 14 years old, education it for boys.
African Girls Hope Foundation (AGHF) was founded on the power of God’s love for the world, which empowers us to share that same love with our communities and nations. AGHF seeks to make a difference by cultivating hope for the “least of the least” by transforming lives for better futures through the power of education.
AGHF currently have 160 vulnerable orphan girls from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya. Our hope is that African Girls Hope Foundation will spread the impact of changing lives of young girls to the continent of Africa. The greatest joy in my life today is to see one more girl getting education access. Our investment in girls’ education is the greatest hope of a better family and community.
African Girls Hope Foundation not only empowers education of girls in Africa, but we also empower young mothers and provide special skills education technical and microfinance education. Among girls we support, girls with special needs or with physical disabilities are part of our programs.
My hope is that, as I change a life of one girl at time, I see change of one community at time, and eventually a nation at time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Every start is always hard, but I believe, with the help of my Board of Directors, Friends, families member, other cooperates, we will be able to overcome the challenges.
The struggle number 1 we have faced is the high number and requests of girls who would like to access education. Our foundation being young,
The biggest challenge is the finances to sustain all programs.
The third challenge is covid -19 made it more difficult and affected many of our supporters.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
African Girls Hope Foundation (AGHF) a US-based 501©3 Christian charitable organization with a mission to empower, equip and provide access to formal and high-quality education to underprivileged school aged girls in Sub-Sahara Africa and in the United States of America.
We mainly focus in women and girls empowerment, education advocacy and the wellbeing of a woman.
AGHF has been impact lives of vulnerable young girls through its programs such as mentorship and counseling, Special Skills programs, Conferences and workshops, young mothers/ widows microfinance projects.
As a mother of four girls, it has been an honor to embrace 160 young vulnerable girls who will also one day become me! or continue with the circle of social change, who will become change makers of their nations, the next doctors, lowers, businesswomen, nurses, teachers and leaders of their nations!
As one person invested in my education in Africa, I am now investing in more than 160 women and girls. Good deeds never does. I am who I am today because someone invested in me.
Transforming lives of vulnerable is the best medicine to prevent future crisis.
African Girls Hope Foundation hopes to transform and give hope to bright future of our tomorrow’s generation.
Change must begin with me and you.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Being a Christian and a worshiper/Singer, bible and singing Christian songs help me to perform well.
Pricing:
- $30 for my book – THE EXPERIENCES OF REFUGEE WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
- $780 full scholarship for one girl per year
- $78 to feed one widow for 1 month
Contact Info:
- Email: grace@africangirlshope.org
- Website: https://www.africangirlshope.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africangirlshopefoundation1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/africangirlshopefoundation/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=african+girls+Hope+Foundation
