Company number 06630614 / Charity number 1136890
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We are an African non-profit grassroots organisation working in the DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Cameroun and we are dedicated to empowering communities to take charge of their own development and break the “cycle of poverty”. We accomplish this through ongoing initiatives in education, farming assistance, health care, and many more.
For the community
We are committed to supporting communities to do things for themselves, and to make their voices heard in the planning and delivery of services for the benefit of all.
Our empowerment concept
Community empowerment is about working in ways which empower people – ways which mean that people feel ‘confident’, that they – and the groups they are involved in – are inclusive and organised, that networks are formed, are cooperative and support each other and – ultimately – they are influential. These are the 5 Community Empowerment Dimensions which inform all our work at changes.
- Confident, we mean, working in a way which increases peoples skills, knowledge and confidence – and instils a belief that they can make a difference
- Inclusive, we mean working in a way which recognises that discrimination exists, promotes equality of opportunity and good relations between groups and challenges inequality and exclusion
- Organised, we mean working in a way which brings people together around common issues and concerns in organisations and groups that are open, democratic and accountable
- Cooperative, we mean working a way which builds positive relationships across groups, identifies common messages, develops and maintains links to national bodies and promotes partnership working
- Influential, we mean working in a way which encourages and equips communities to take part and influence decisions, services and activities
Our community empowerment programme is about putting the values of community development into action.
Education
Education is essential to achieving a higher quality of life. Many individuals in many African countries find it difficult to access quality education due to poverty, violent conflict and a myriad of other issues. Although access to education may seem like a daunting problem, Menelik Education is supporting individuals, schools, colleges and universities in Africa. We are currently focusing on young people between the age of 8 and 18 years old by providing long-term scholarships to at-risk children that are funded by individual donations. We also works to improve and build schools within the country in which we operate.
What we stand for:
Menelik Education’s believes that communities irrespective of where they are in the world, are a rich source of energy, creativity and talent. They are made up of people with rich and diverse backgrounds who each have something to contribute to making their community a better place to live in. Central, local, and international governments need to help communities to work together and release that potential to create a more prosperous and fairer world.
Community Empowerment?
Menelik Education is committed to support communities in the areas in which it operates, such as Cambridgeshire in the UK, Kinshasa, in the D.R. Congo, or elsewhere in Africa by supporting them to do things for themselves and having their voices heard in the planning and delivery of services.
Where communities are empowered we see a range of benefits: local democratic participation boosted; increased confidence and skills among local people; higher numbers of people volunteering in their communities; and more satisfaction with quality of life in a local neighbourhood. Better community engagement and participation leads to the delivery of better, more responsive services and better outcomes for communities.
Menelik Education is taking forward action in a number of areas and is working closely with local authorities and partners to help support and promote community empowerment and engagement.
Health
We are improving the lives of communities through better health.
Women are the gatekeepers to their communities’ health. We work primarily through women and girls, to build the knowledge, skills and means to transform their health, laying foundations for generations to come.
Unsurprisingly, women and children are more vulnerable to ill health in Africa. Low income and social status, lack of education and traditional gender roles and responsibilities are key contributing factors. The biggest risk to the lives of teenage girls and women in the developing world is pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal death rates in Africa are particularly high because of the lack of skilled midwives, obstructed labour, unsafe abortions, anaemia and malaria. Across Africa, too many young girls become pregnant with devastating and long-term effects on their reproductive health.
Across Africa, a new mother dies every three minutes. Menelik Education health programme supports reproductive health and rights for women through ensuring effective access to:
- contraceptives
- skilled obstetric services
- assisted delivery
- ante-natal and post-natal care
We know that increasing the number of skilled midwives and health care professionals is key to preventing maternal deaths. That’s exactly what we are doing.
Our Values Are:
Every crisis creates opportunity; every struggle offers the chance to rediscover. Everything we do is born from the ability to see potential where others can’t.
- Courage
The willingness to try, fail and learn on the journey toward creating something new is just as critical as the passion to succeed. There is no substitute for being willing to lead— especially when the territory being covered is new and the outcome is uncertain.
- Determination
We are passionate about seeking new perspectives and challenging long-standing assumptions because we know effective leadership requires continuous learning.
- Curiosity
Meaningful change is not easy. It requires the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and face often daunting challenges. We have the persistence to do whatever it takes until we achieve the results we seek.
- Partnership
There is no greater force for change than a team of people who are personally invested in each other, and in the lives of the people who their work is intended to serve.
- Accountability
Every initiative or project we undertake will be judged by the only measure that matters: how effectively we create lasting and meaningful progress in the lives of those we serve.
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