The Meaning of UNGANA The Symbol: The Inner Huddle
The Word: UNGANA
Four people united in a huddle to share their ideas in a place where they can meet as equals. The symbol reflects creative brainstorming and imagination at play. It is a huddle of teamwork in which everyone gathers for a common cause, a single purpose.
In Swahili, the word UNGANA means to “come together.� In East Africa, UNGANA is a belief that to achieve anything communities must strengthen each other. The UNGANA Foundation recognizes that problems can become opportunities when the right people come together. By uniting foreign communities in a positive, symbiotic relationship, we are working to strengthen the world.
The equation is simple… Business Education + Resources + Community Support + Health Services = Sustained Economic Growth
Mission Statement
IIF…
The UNGANA Foundation is a comprehensive social and economic development organization dedicated to mobalizing communities by converting unused resources into strong, creative ventures.
This unification of people is the basis of the UNGANA Foundation’s pilot project Investment in Ideas for the Future (IIF). This bold initiative provides education and opportunity for entrepreneurs in Rwanda.
Investment in Ideas for the Future = IIF
What IIF... What IIF people with ideas were provided an opportunity? What IIF the money they earned could support the local economy and not loan payments? What IIF workers had not only the resources, but also the education to run a business? What if an organization could facilitate real economic change? The answer is found in the IIF Program. The UNGANA Foundation firmly believes that if given the education and opportunity, entrepreneurs can have a direct hand in ensuring their nations’ economic growth. dooo00000oooooooooooooo ooooooooo
The IIF Program is an innovative venture that takes an environmental approach to economic growth. It does this by providing an opportunity for rural workers to utilize one of the planet’s largest agricultural wastes, banana fiber, and turn it into a profitable commodity. Banana fiber is considered a versatile by product, being used in goods ranging from paper to clothing, and is praised for its high tensile strength. Given the abundance of banana fiber in the developing world, the ease of technology aid extraction, and the commercial appeal of the organic textile, the niche banana fiber industry presents an eco-friendly opportunity for those facing severe poverty.
Rwanda Health The UNGANA Foundation recognizes that building a sound platform for economic growth requires a healthy community. It is for this reason that the organization is bringing people together to help in strengthening the physical well being of the citizens of Rwanda through Project Health. Following the 1994 genocide, the Government of Rwanda has faced numerous challenges in improving the health sector of the country. With the highest population density in Africa, the largest health obstacle facing Rwanda comes in providing essential health care to its
growing population. Currently, there is one nurse to every 3,900 Rwandans and only one doctor for every 18,000 Rwandans. To ensure that the people of Rwanda can become good individuals, good workers, and good community leaders, good health is essential. The UNGANA Foundation is doing its part to fill this gap by organizing a team of experienced volunteers to help better the quality of healthcare in Rwanda. The overarching goal of UNGANA Project Health is to promote the best practices possible in working to improve the health of the citizens of Rwanda.
Project Community The most valuable tool in promoting economic sustainability and good governance is an educated and engaged citizenry. To encourage unity and illuminate shared goals, the UNGANA Foundation is hard at work engineering Project Community. One way this will be done is by providing opportunities for individuals to interact in meaningful ways. The volunteers of Project Community will apply their personal skills to enrich communities in Rwanda through dynamic socio-economic mentorship and educational events. Participants in these programs will be challenged with analyzing their environment
and identifying individual and collective issues. Through Project Community, the UNGANA Foundation and its volunteers are providing the region with the tangible and intangible resources that will foster sustainable development.
www.unganafoundation.org info@unganafoundation.org