Foundation for Rural and Economic Development in Africa

Our Mission The Foundation for Rural and Economic Development in Africa (FREDIA) is committed to providing human and financial resources to rural and urban communities in Africa so that they can achieve transformational economic, social, and technological changes, leading to sustainable development. Currently, our region of focus in Africa is the Congo Basin. Six countries that include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. We provide eight key services but currently focus on Economic Development/Empowerment, Education, and Cultural Preservation. Given that natural disasters, conflicts and political instabil... read more Our Mission The Foundation for Rural and Economic Development in Africa (FREDIA) is committed to providing human and financial resources to rural and urban communities in Africa so that they can achieve transformational economic, social, and technological changes, leading to sustainable development. Currently, our region of focus in Africa is the Congo Basin. Six countries that include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. We provide eight key services but currently focus on Economic Development/Empowerment, Education, and Cultural Preservation. Given that natural disasters, conflicts and political instability impact our work, we often assist the most vulnerable, including children, widows, women, teenage mothers, and the elderly through our empowerment programs. In 2018, we assisted villagers in Bechati, Cameroon, whose homes were struck by a tornado. There has been civil unrest in Cameroon since 2016. People are fleeing armed violence, attacks on their homes and schools, abduction, sexual violence, and recruitment into armed groups. We are now assisting displaced people there, including villagers. We plan to launch three training centers in the NW/SW regions of Cameroon in 2020 to provide education and entrepreneurial skills to displaced people. We work primarily in Africa but maintain a strong visibility in the United States and San Andres Island, Colombia, which has a population of 85,000 people, mostly people of African descent. Colombia has the fifth largest black population outside of Africa (4.9 million). One of FREDIA's services is Cultural Preservation, specifically connecting people of the African Diaspora to Africa. In the United States, we organize an annual African Diaspora Banquet and Cultural Night to showcase African cuisine, culture, and music. The San Andres Island in Colombia has an annual Emancipation Week celebration in July. FREDIA sent a representative this year. We believe that connecting Africa with Americans and people of the African Diaspora enriches our work in Africa. Our Programs Our approach to development is to invest in the people and allow them to unleash their potential. Our proactive solutions include education, promoting a sense of cultural understanding, pride and belonging; providing rural farmers with the tools that they need to develop sustainable farms; funding initiatives that encourage self- reliance and alleviate poverty; and assisting in the building of sustainable institutions that support grassroots development. Presently, we focus on Education, Economic Development/Empowerment, and Cultural Preservation. Here is a complete look of our programs that will be available in the future: Education Assist programs that advance the quality and relevance of education in the African context, with a focus on academic, human, productive and technical skills. Include the following: Competency-based curriculum development. Youth development, leadership and life skills training. Special emphasis on the education of girls and women. Water Supply Enhance access by urban and rural populations to clean drinking water. Assist with projects that: Build and rehabilitate water wells; communal tap-water systems ; install solar powered pumping systems. Household sanitation education programs that prevent recontamination of drinking water. Train village water committees on how to use and maintain the wells and pumps. Train villagers on hygiene and sanitation. Electricity Assist programs that work to ensure reliable power supply to rural and urban populations. The focus is on energy access, installed electricity generation capacity, and overall electric power consumption. Support will include the following: New photovoltaic panels or "micro-grids" and thermal technologies. Health and Hygiene Assist initiatives that enhance rural and urban health care facilities and capacities; provide training to health professionals; promote access to health care services, including effective prevention of diseases. Cultural Preservation We respect the diversity of value systems and will assist efforts that encourage a strong sense of self-identity through culture, including oral history research, cultural heritage beliefs, cultural landscapes, institutions, popular theater, cultural and symbolic systems. Economic Empowerment Support initiatives that empower women, men and youths, including vocational skills training and life skills training; promote equal access and control of economic assets; and enhance entrepreneurial capacities of all groups so they can succeed as leaders in business and trade. Appropriate Technology Transfer Understand that each country has a different development constraint and as such may not be a suitable recipient for the same technology. Where technology is deemed appropriate, there must be a corresponding level of skills for utilizing it. To this end, we support efforts that introduce appropriate and affordable technology into rural areas. Farm-to- Market Programs Support initiatives that develop and sustain rural marketplaces; strengthen farmer-to- market linkages, including good roads that facilitate transportation of goods from rural to urban centers; assist farmer organizations to be more productive; promote agricultural trade in domestic, regional, and international markets; improve food security; and increase the capacity of associations, cooperatives, private enterprises, and nongovernmental organizations. Social Media Twitter https://twitter.com/FREDIA_ORG Facebook https://www.facebook.com/frediaorg/ Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2361823994096958/ Blog: www.fredia.org/blog