LIFT
Today, 389 million people, or 41% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa, live on less than $1.90 per day. Access to education and healthcare resources are two keys to lifting individuals and families out of chronic, extreme poverty and building the necessary skills to become self-reliant.
Changing the World One Mind at a Time
LIVES IMPACTED BY LIFT INITIATIVES
Education and Vocational Training
We build schools, sponsor children’s education, provide technical and professional education for young adults, and teach adult literacy programs
Self Support Assistance
We provide business and financial literacy training and access to financial resources for entrepreneurs, allowing them to start and successfully grow businesses.
Community Training
We teach water and sanitation training, community albinism awareness programs, and gender and domestic violence training to help the most vulnerable.
Empowering Rural Students With Computer Education
Equipping Tobu Primary School with computer technology, we do not want just to provide education. Our goal is to open doors to a brighter future for children of rural communities.
In the remote villages of Bo, Sierra Leone, children exhibit remarkable potential when provided with the necessary opportunities. ENA recognizes and actively fosters this potential at Tobu School. A sponsored teacher offers instruction in basic computer skills to students in classes 4 through 6. Our goal is to empower these young learners to explore new avenues of knowledge. This initiative not only equips them with valuable skills for the future but also instills a sense of confidence and capability. As a result, the students get the chance to delve into the world of computers within their own familiar environment.
Building Futures: Adulala High School Brings Hope to 2,010 Ethiopian Young People
“I have hope for my future. I always thought I would have high education. I am very capable of learning a lot. My future will be bright. Thank you”
—Tessafe Tadesse, Grade 10, Adulala, Ethiopia
In 2023, ENA finished constructing a three-block High School and gladly welcomed its first class of 250 students. This educational institution embodies the promise of progress and is equipped with essential amenities such as four classrooms, a library, a laboratory, administrative offices, and restroom facilities. Its impact is palpable, offering physical infrastructure and a renewed sense of hope and opportunity to students, teachers, and communities. With improved access to education, this school stands as a testament to the enduring power of investment in the future, promising to uplift countless lives and shape brighter tomorrow for generations to come.
Celebrating Success: ENA’s Graduation Ceremony in Ghana’s Volta Region
ENA’s literacy team hosted a vibrant graduation ceremony in Ho, Ghana’s Volta Region. The celebration honored 60 adult learners, comprising 48 women and 12 men aged 21-68, who successfully completed adult literacy and vocational training programs. Distinguished speakers from various sectors, including education and government, delivered inspiring speeches, encouraging the graduates to pursue excellence in their chosen fields. Each graduate received their certificate amidst cheers and applause, while an exhibition showcased their vocational training projects, highlighting their newfound skills and expertise. The event concluded with lively festivities, underscoring the transformative impact of education on individuals and communities alike.
Unlocking Potential: Education Support for Orphans
Thank you so very much for your support of our orphan education program. All 350 orphans received their school uniforms and school supplies. They started school in September 2022 and are thriving.
–Diana Bingham, ENA Director of Operations, Ethiopia
ENA’s Orphan Education Support Program is a comprehensive initiative designed to uplift and empower orphaned children across Africa by providing them with quality education. Through this program, Engage Now Africa offers various forms of support, including school fees, supplies, uniforms, and mentorship, to ensure orphaned children can attend school and receive the education they deserve. By investing in the education of orphans, Engage Now Africa aims to break the cycle of poverty, improve livelihoods, and create opportunities for a brighter future. Through partnerships with local communities and stakeholders, the program addresses the unique needs of each child, fostering a supportive environment conducive to learning and personal development. Ultimately, the Orphan Education Support Program seeks to empower orphaned children to reach their full potential and become active contributors to their communities and society at large.
HIGHLIGHT A HERO
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to ASEA Advancing Life Foundation. Their generous contributions have empowered the realization of essential educational infrastructure and clean water wells in Bolgatanga, Ghana. ASEA’s dedication to improving lives and fostering sustainable development in this community is truly commendable and deeply appreciated.”
—Jennifer Ellsworth, Executive Director, ENA
LIFT HERO AWARD
ASEA Advancing Life Foundation
The ASEA Advancing Life Foundation joined forces with ENA to build clean wells for over 8,600 people and a six-classroom block school for 300 primary-aged children in Bolgatanga, Ghana, one of the poorest regions in the county. ASEA’s Advancing Life Foundation’s mission is to break cycles of poverty, suffering, and abuse; they partner with organizations with self-sustaining models that accomplish these things. ASEA Advancing Life believes education is a key element to lifting communities out of the chains that hold them in the cycles of poverty, broadens the horizons for individuals, and gives them the tools they need to seize new opportunities and enables them to help themselves.
Educating Generations of Men and Women
On average, only 61% of adults in sub-Saharan Africa can read and write with understanding, one of the world’s lowest adult literacy rates. Fourteen of the 22 countries with literacy rates below 60% reside in Africa, and more than half are women. The absolute number of adult illiterates continues to rise due to population growth, increasing from 133 million in 1990 to 144 million today. More than 60% of those illiterate are women. UNESCO
For $75.00, YOU can help one adult become literate, learn a vocational skill, or create a small business.
“Engage Now Africa Vocational Skills Training has taken me out of misery into hope. I can now make and sell my liquid soap and bleach products to financially care for my family. I am grateful to Engage Now Africa.”
–Comfort Adult Learner, Volta, Ghana
Beatrice’s adult literacy began at the age of 39. She had always dreamed of pursuing higher education and advancing her career, but her limited reading and writing skills had held her back. Filled with determination and a strong desire for self-improvement, she enrolled in ENA’s adult literacy program. Initially, she felt embarrassed about her lack of reading and writing abilities and was apprehensive about sharing her struggles with her classmates. Today, she runs her soap-making business to support herself and her family, and she is an inspiration to others in her community who are striving to overcome literacy barriers and achieve their dreams.
–Beatrice, Literacy Graduate, Accra, Ghana
“Our community is profoundly grateful to Engage Now Africa. Their adult literacy program has empowered me to read, write, and perform calculations. In the absence of a school in our village, I even teach my children at home. Engage Now Africa not only provides essential treatments but also supplies mosquito-treated nets. The provision of clean water, education, and quality medical care has significantly improved my children’s health. Thank you, Engage Now Africa, for your invaluable support.”
–Christian Sirgbondo, Literacy Student, Bo Sierra Leone
“I am Habiba Yusif and I am 66 years old. I never had the opportunity to go to school because of financial constraints; me been the firstborn, I had to help my mother sell in the market to care for my other four siblings. I am old, but there is always time to learn to write, read, and speak English. I want to speak English with my grandchildren and help them with schoolwork. Gradually, I know I will get there . . . Thank you, Engage Now Africa, for giving me such a great opportunity.”
–Habiba Yusif, Adult Learner, Central Region, Accra
“Engage Now Africa built a school in our community, providing children in the village the opportunity to attend school without having to travel long distances or tend to cattle. We are deeply grateful for this school and for giving the children the opportunity to learn and a chance to pursue their educational dreams.”
–Fantaye Abebe, School Master, Sirba, Ethiopia
Patricia is a shining example of becoming self-reliant. While enrolled in ENA’s literacy course, she became the overall best-graduating student in her class. She produces and sells bar soap at their local market and community, a skill she acquired from our vocational skill program. She enrolled her two daughters in school. Her drive and determination helped lift her family from poverty and inspired other women in her community to pursue education and vocational training.
–Patricia, Literacy Graduate, Accra, Ghana
Before joining ENA’s education and vocational training program, Christiana was a single mother of three with no income and faced financial struggles. She often depended on family members and friends for financial support. ENA’s comprehensive training helped her acquire the necessary skills to start a soap-making and disinfectant business. Today, Christiana has a thriving enterprise with two employees and has enough to meet her family’s financial obligations.
–Christiana Agyei, Vocational Graduate, Accra, Ghana
“This school reflects the commitment to delivering high-quality education to the community. The school has well-ventilated and clean classrooms, with dedicated teachers. The school will accommodate 741 students to attend this semester. Both the teachers and students express their gratitude to Engage Now Africa for supporting our learning activities.”
–Tesfaye Tadesse, Koftu, Ethiopia