VOICES FOR UMOJA
Umoja, the Swahili word for "unity"
VOICES FOR UMOJA AT A GLANCE
A Bit of Background
"As a graduate student, a friend and I began a program at a community center in HIV-ravaged, politically marginalized Western Kenya that provided cameras to at-risk youth, giving them the opportunity to share about their perspectives and experiences. Their work was then exhibited in Kenya, New York, and Los Angeles. The success of the program prompted me to found the non-profit organization Voices for Umoja (umoja means unity in Swahili). Voices for Umoja is built on the belief that communication leads to change. Partnering with local people, Voices for Umoja had the advantage of learning of the needs of the community from the community members.
For six years, Voices for Umoja ran multiple programs out of the community center in Kenya, which included internship programs, an internet cafe, international media exchanges, ongoing trainings, and income-generating activities for women and youth.
Voices for Umoja has since partnered with a local organization in Moba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a remote area severely impacted by the ongoing war and unrest, where it currently runs community education programs in the forms of radio broadcasts, workshops, and street theater; provides literacy, language, and computer classes; spearheads coordination and collaboration of nongovernmental organizations in the region; and houses a library for community members."
- Sara Feldman - Co-Founder of Voices for Umoja
ABOUT US
Voices for Umoja is a 501(c)3 non profit organization that partners with community based organizations to use communication and action to create change at the community level and beyond. We strive to connect groups and individuals to strengthen our global community.
Our work has been focused on communities in the United States, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Here is a video that explains some of the activities and fund raising efforts Voices for Umoja has been involved in.
