Future of Africa

we encourage the uninhibited thinking and

natural curiosity of children and youth, a true source of our innovation

HIGH SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT RESOURCE

Future of Africa entrusts the future of the continent to the

children and youth, who have the power to

identify and address the issues they face.

Future of Africa believes in the need for collective

action to achieve positive change.

Future of Africa is dedicated to providing resources

and opportunities to underprivileged children

and youth.

Future of Africa

About Future of AfricaFuture of Africa aims to provide opportunities, resources, and skills in order to nurture the dreams and aspirations of underprivileged children and youth. We strongly believe that children and youth have the power and potential to make a di�erence and be agents of change in Africa.

To facilitate this process, Future of Africa will build youth centers, which will also complement the growth of formal education in African countries. These youth centers will o�er resources and opportunities for youth to acquire skills through a variety of disciplines, including sports, music, arts and crafts, drama, dance, and more. This will allow children and youth to pursue their interests while also leading them to realize the role they play in the Future of Africa.

Core ValuesOur core values of passion, vision, and ambition are central to the work of Future of Africa, and we believe that these values have the power to enable us to make a di�erence in Africa by ensuring that we remain focused on our goals.

Learning OutcomesAlthough the primary goal of Future of Africa projects is to improve the lives of others, there are also valuable transferable skills you will gain through your involvement, which you will be able to apply to school, work, or other extracurricular activities. In addition to the feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment associated with volunteerism, through your participation in Future of Africa campaigns and initiatives you will also bene�t from developing the following skills:

Future of Africa is con�dent that progress and development in

Africa will be achieved through empowerment of the youth.

Leadership skills

Teamwork and collaboration skills

Organizational skill

Communication skills

Increased self awareness

Increased awareness of global issues

How you can get involved

Future of Africa has several existing initiatives available to students to execute at the high school level. These projects are suitable to be undertaken by both individual volunteers or by a team or club of Future of Africa members in your school.

Future of Africa aims to confront and challenge misconceptions about Africa,

o�ering education and a fresh perspective.

ACT for Change Future of Africa �rmly believes that the potential for positive change is a product of our collective e�orts to act. ACT for Change is an initiative that enables participants to put their passion for the needs of humanity into meaningful action and work together toward making a di�erence. ACT for Change re�ects the necessity for us to become engaged members of a global community so that we are not only aware of and discussing the issues and challenges faced in Africa, but we are also taking an active role in improving existing circumstances and creating new opportunities.

While working on Journey for Change projects in Arua, Northern Uganda, Future of Africa members counted 87 children walking barefoot in the span of just one hour. This is the reality for many children in African countries, and their inability to a�ord shoes symbolizes the barriers to education that they also face. Expose Your Toes is an ACT for Change campaign that seeks to raise awareness about underprivileged youth in Africa and work toward making an investment in these children’s education.

At the high school level, Expose Your Toes provides an opportunity for you to utilize your creativity and direct your artistic talents toward Future of Africa e�orts, while also collecting donations to help enhance a child’s education in Ghana, West Africa. If you choose to participate in Expose Your Toes, you will be provided with a blank canvas, which you are free to design and decorate in any way you choose. As you collect donations, each donor will have the opportunity to sign or write a short message on your canvas. You will also be encouraged to create a video message, which will be delivered directly to the African student whose education bene�ts from your donations.

At the end of the school year, you will submit your donations, canvas, and video message to Future of Africa, and the Journey for Change team will take these items on their service-learning trip to Ghana. Based on the needs in the community in which they are working, participants will identify an underprivileged child to receive your donations. The youth selected will be given your canvas and video message, and the money you raised will be used to provide educational support for that child. The student will also be asked to record a video message addressed to you, which will be delivered to you once the Journey for Change team returns to Canada.

Expose Your Toes is a fun, creative, and meaningful way to participate in Future of Africa initiatives, to ACT for Change, and to make a direct impact on the life of a child in Africa, who is a student just like you.

Expose Your Toes

Many underprivileged children in Africa lack access to basic educational resources. Organizing a School Supply Drive is one way that you and your peers can ACT for Change and make an impact on lives and education of students attending a school in Ghana. If you choose to participate in the School Supply Drive, you will be responsible for organizing the collection of a variety of school supplies (paper, pens, notebooks, pencils...you name it!) within your high school. At the end of the school year, you will submit the school supply donations that you have collected to Future of Africa, and the Journey for Change team will donate these supplies to a school or to individual youth and children in need during their service-learning trip to Ghana.

School Supply Drive

Future of Africa believes in the power for progress through fostering our talents and directing our passions toward positive change. Performance for Change is an initiative that celebrates our diverse talents, while also spreading awareness and collecting donations for Future of Africa projects.

Hosting Performance for Change at your high school involves organizing a talent showcase to encourage students to share their unique talents with their peers. The event will also provide an opportunity for you to communicate the purpose of Future of Africa and the initiatives in your school. Charging admission to the talent showcase by donation will also enable you to collect funds to contribute to Future of Africa projects, such as the building of youth centres in Ghana.

One member from your school community and one Future of Africa Laurier executive member will be responsible for being judges of the event, and the top performer(s) from your high school talent showcase (either individual or group) will be invited to perform at the next Performance for Change hosted at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Performance for Change is a creative, entertaining, and fun way for you to engage many of your peers and get other to participate in your e�orts to work toward positive change.

Performance for Change

Future of Africa advocates that only through believing in and pursuing our unique talents can we enable ourselves

to reach our full potential.

In response to the many stereotypes about Africa held in Canadian culture, Future of Africa aims to confront and challenge misconceptions and o�er a fresh perspective. Awareness for Change is an initiative that seeks to provide education regarding the realities of life in African countries.

At the high school level, this involves sharing Future of Africa video diaries and mini-documentaries with your peers at assemblies, during morning announcements, or however you see �t. If you are interested in furthering awareness and organizing feature length documentary screenings at your school, Future of Africa will provide you with appropriate documentary �lms, as well as follow up questions in order to facilitate a discussion on the topic.

Awareness for Change is an interesting, educational, and meaningful way for you to reach a large audience and inform your peers about realities in Africa.

Awareness for Change

You’ve already shown an interest in becoming involved in Future of Africa. Thank you! We appreciate your initiative. In order to get started, please �ll out the FOA High School Engagement Application form on the Future of Africa website. There is a lot you can achieve, even as an one individual, if you are committed to acting for change and working toward making a di�erence.

There are also ways, however, for you to further your involvement with Future of Africa if you are interested in tackling larger projects and initiatives. As a high school student, you can start a Future of Africa club in your school to encourage more of your peers to become involved in the cause. Or, if you are graduating high school and will be moving on to post secondary education soon, you can start a Campus Chapter at your college or university in order to continue working with Future of Africa.

If you would like to start a high school club or Campus Chapter, please indicate this when you �ll in the FOA High School Engagement Application form and the FOA team will provide you with the resources and support you need complete the group formation process.

What’s Next?

Future of Africa is grateful for your hard work and dedication to taking action to address the needs of humanity. To recognize your membership, you will receive a Future of Africa t-shirt. You will also be issued a Future of Africa Certi�cate of Achievement to acknowledge your accomplishments and show our appreciation for your e�orts.

Membership Recognition and Appreciation

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