African Road builds long term relationships with local Changemakers, for the life, health and growth of communities in East Africa.
The work of African road is not charity or aid
– it is empowerment for transformation, fueled by friendship and stories of hope. We, as a non-profit organization, and as friends and partners, come alongside Changemakers through collaborative project development and strategic funding. Love and devotion is at the heart of African Road.
It started with one dream in 2010…
It all started when Kelly Bean and Lori Martin visited Rwanda in 2007. They met inspiring East Africans who had a vision for their countries and communities. They kept in touch and began to form long-term friendships. In 2010, Bean and Martin co-founded African Road as a tax-exempt non-profit, and the story has been growing since then.
From these friendships developed a new model of giving: one that was sensitive to the local economy and culture and the significance of the individual.
What We Mean When We Say…
Charity:
A form of giving that can create dependency , rather than empowerment. Historically a positive term to describe generosity.
Aid:
Immediate relief that is necessary as a short term solution, a crisis response to meet basic needs. Not a long term strategy.
Transformation:
Powerful, positive change that reaches beyond the surface and goes to the core of a person or an organization.
Hope:
A realistic expectation and desire for something good, cultivated by imagination and the dreaming of dreams.
Friendship:
Mutual trust, support and genuine relationships founded on personal connection.