Our Vision

We envisage a continent in which all African nations provide appropriate education for their citizens. Education is essential if people are to participate effectively in the life of their communities and contribute to democratic processes in their countries. We hold that education is the key to development.

Our Mission

The mission of the Africa Educational Trust is to build education programmes for excluded people in conflict-affected areas of Africa.
In all its operations, the Africa Educational Trust is committed to:

• Promoting concepts of life-long learning and universal access to education.
• Providing quality education that encourages independent thought.
• Ensuring that education strengthens communities and self-empowerment.
• Eliminating exclusion from education, especially on grounds of gender and disability.
• Developing local ownership of programmes.
• Developing appropriate programmes for conflict and post-conflict areas.

Where we work

AET currently operates primarily in the conflict-affected areas of Eastern Africa. Our work in the United Kingdom focuses on raising the resources necessary to carry out our work, and engaging in debate on development issues where our expertise is particularly relevant.

What we do

AET works in collaboration with local communities, Ministry of Education officials and local organisations to provide formal or alternative education and basic skills training. Our work includes projects aimed at reducing poverty and illiteracy among women, children, disabled people, those who have suffered displacement and instability, and those in nomadic and pastoralist communities.

How we do it

We deliver our programmes by involving local communities, local employees and local political structures where appropriate, in a transparent and co-operative manner that emphasises collaborating rather than instructing. Our commitment to ‘education for all’ is developed within the context of local cultures wherever possible, and delivered through local participants who then come to own the schemes supported by AET.

To fulfil its mission, AET organises its work under five broad themes:

1. Developing high quality innovative programmes to fulfill educational needs in African contexts.
2. Raising funds from donors who share our vision, and building up unrestricted funds to enable us to broaden our impact.
3. Developing relationships and networking with local stakeholders as well as donors and other NGOs working in the field.
4. Building and sustaining an organisation that is open, egalitarian, transparent and accountable.
5. Disseminating our learning about impact, our knowledge and our expertise widely within the academic and donor communities, in line with the original intentions of the founding trustees.

AET Strategy Statement

Our Principles in Action

To see how we put our principles in action have a look at our What We Do section or if you have specific questions please get in touch.

Contact Us