"…To transmit from one generation to the next the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of a society, and to prepare young people for their future membership of that society and their active participation in its maintenance or development…"

Julius Nyerere, 1997, AET lecture

AET operates in regions of Africa where formal structures for education are absent, or have been broken down by conflict and civil war. In areas of conflict, schools and higher education institutions have often been bombed, shelled and burnt down during civil war, leaving many communities of children and young people without a place to learn, with no access to textbooks or any form of tuition, they therefore have little to look forward to in their future. There are no facilities to train new specialists such as doctors or teachers and therefore, no knowledge structure for development.

Many children and young people in parts of Africa are not taught even basic literacy skills. Children growing up without an education are destined only for unemployment, or at best, menial labour - by this we mean a long, hard days work through child labour, for low wages and in very poor working conditions. The ill educated have little alternative, and it is through no fault of their own.

In places such as southern Sudan and Somaliland, AET works hard at improving this situation by providing developmental aid for locally appropriate educational systems to be set in place, overcoming difficult conditions and fresh challenges in order to do so. AET is persistent in its provision because education is the key component for the rehabilitation of Africa and its people, communities cannot improve their situation before first learning how to, and given the means of progression, that is, knowledge and learning.

In Somalia 3/4 of children have no school to go to

If you can, think back to your school and maybe also college or university days, and ask yourself where you would be now if you had never studied? Maybe you are still at school or university, ask yourself what your future would hold without the knowledge you are gaining right now. If you had never learned to read and write, to understand basic mathematics and to understand language, would you be able to work and earn money? Would you be able to have your own family one day and support them? Would you be able to pay for a place to call home let alone go on a holiday, or even enjoy reading a book?

Could you maintain your dignity?

The simple answer is no, and these are the problems that many young Africans face today. If you are able to do any of these things, you are lucky. AET asks that the lucky ones help those who are less fortunate. We will appreciate your support.

Help us - help People of Africa - to help themselves

Napoleon still has very close ties with AET and his full story will be available to view HERE soon. He is currently very busy working on the Gurtong Peace Project which seeks to establish a South Sudanese Diaspora coalition for promoting peace and stability in the South Sudan. You can visit his website at http://www.gurtong.net Please come back soon to read what he has to say.

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