How do we do that?
Join us on our journey!
we achieve
positive
change?
for such
change.
Origins:
THE WISH
The founder, Marcel Jahnke, has always had the desire to use his professional success and experience as a businessman to help disadvantaged children in developing countries transform their survival energy into vital and creative life energy. In short: He wants to give back for some of the success he has achieved. Marcel’s goal: to create a network based on universal core values that is grounded in mutual social welfare and lasts a lifetime. One central goal of the foundation is to integrate well-educated young adults into economics, politics and welfare, so that they can, in turn, have a positive impact on Ghanaian society. Grooming a new generation of leaders and generating a new circle of community and leadership in Africa, independent of cemented societal patterns, has become a vision within reach.
“The founder Marcel Jahnke has always had the desire to use his professional success and experience as a businessman to help disadvantaged children in developing countries transform their survival energy into vital and creative life energy. In short: He wants to give back for some of the success he has achieved.”
AFRICAN ACADEMICS:
the Beginning
Marcel Jahnke developed an interest in some of the aid projects in Africa. In the beginning of 2019 he had the opportunity to go to Ghana himself to see the conditions and circumstances there with his own eyes. Travelling together with his assistant and he came into contact with unique and talented youth from all over Ghana. Many ideas and proof-of-concepts of how to help young people in this country sprang out of this early journey: The outline and direction of African Academics started to come into shape. African Academics took off running and a handful of successful students were accepted into the African Academics Scholarship programme. Another encounter with four highly talented and -motivated young men who had just finished their studies resulted in another startup project: SynthAfric. Through this collaboration, African Academics took on another role, as a startup incubator. This proved to be a logical next step, because good education must be paired together with future prospects, otherwise talented individuals will leave to more developed countries. Asking the right questions: This is one of the core pillars of African Academics. From this premise, we asked the young adults in Ghana the following: How can we really provide help? What is your vision for a hopeful and successful future? What do you need to build this future? How can we further advance a change in society so that future generations may profit as well? We collected and analyzed all answers to these questions, and from the essence of these responses, we formulated the basis and core values of African Academics: We are one family that cares for each other. We protect and are loyal to each other, and we mutually support and encourage each other. We respect other living beings and the environment, keeping in mind the future generations living in our home country. We aspire to wholeheartedly contribute to the success of African Academics. My success is your success! Together we create the future we want.
“Bringing children from slums and transforming their survival energy into creativity and energy for life is a great idea and absolutely worth supporting!“
it all
begin?
Our core values:
We are a family that is there for each other. We give each other protection, loyalty, support and encouragement. We respect other living beings and our environment, always with a view to future generations in our homeland. We do our best to contribute to the success of African Academics. My success – will be your success. Together we create the future we want.
YOU HELP?
WHAT OFFERS
REAL CHANCES?
Our vision: creating a network based on universal core values that is grounded in mutual social welfare and lasts a lifetime. One central goal is to timely integrate the well-educated young adults into the economy, politics and welfare, so that they have a positive impact on Ghanaian society.
AFRICAN ACADEMICS:
Direction
What?
The focus of African Academics is to support highly talented young people from poor backgrounds (slums). We champion and enable young people who were able to enter the school system (primary school) by means of discipline and respectful behavior, and who have proved themselves through their dedication, competence and intelligence, especially in Maths and English.
Where?
The first focal point of the foundation’s work is Ghana. Ghana is a harbor of democratic stability in Western Africa, which makes it possible to accompany projects on a long-term, sustainable basis. The mean age of the population is 20.74 years. Ghana has a big gap between poor and rich populaces, with a GINI index of 0.383. Only the country’s elite has access to the political leadership of the country. The corruption perceptions index in the public sector in Ghana was around 59 points by 2018. Infrastructure is relatively well-developed, and English as an official language lays the groundwork for worldwide communication. Besides these important parameters, direct communication with our African Academics children, personal involvement, the existing network and the already well-running projects and scholarships are other major cornerstones for successful and sustainable work. Looking towards the future always conveys change – therefore, African Academics is seeing itself not as stagnant foundation that is standing still, but as a family in ever-changing processes, with our goal being providing real opportunities and improvements in the lives of our students.
How?
For African Academics, we have created the „success cycle of the African Academics Family“ together with our children. Because a network that is characterized by social and personal cooperation and rooted in strong core values will work for a lifetime and promises to be successful.
AFRICAN ACADEMICS FAMILY HOUSE:
Accommodation and care
Our children have told us many important aspects of their home and family life, but there is one constant: They do not want to feel hunger anymore. They imagine having no need to work to support their families, because this the main reason why they are often not able to concentrate on their studies. Many children wish for stable access to information, which means access to the internet and scientific literature to pursue their curiosity and thirst for knowledge. It is important to have a space where they can feel safe and secure – a real “home”. This is a place where they can feel understood by others, where authority figures are caring and help them in their daily life, where they can converse with like-minded people, feeding and encouraging creative new ideas. A circle of allies who respect, encourage and support each other – essentially, an African Academics Family!
AFRICAN ACADEMICS EDUCATION:
Excellent school and training
Until recently, acceptance to education in top schools has been the privilege only of the elite class. African Academics wants to change that because, in these schools, important contacts and networks are built very early on. Here, the future leadership of Ghana is being educated. By having access to decision makers and the well-running alumni networks of these elite schools, real and sustainable societal changes are becoming possible. African Academics supports and creates the future leaders of Ghana. In addition, mental and physical educational programmes are being created in the African Academics Family House, so that the children can develop in the healthiest possible manner. From an early age, social cooperation is also being encouraged actively in a playful environment. By establishing a monthly African Academics debating society (question and solution-based), we are able to not only incorporate important elements of learning but also encourage active discourse (on an administrative level as well). The ability to have your voice heard and valued enhances self-esteem and creates a deep and long-lasting bond between participants.
TALENTS NEED TO FULL THEIR FULL POTENTIAL?
AFRICAN ACADEMICS SCHOLARSHIPS:
Study and Support
To become a leader in your own country – regardless whether in business or in politics – one needs a widely-accepted degree. The African Academics Scholarship Programme supports our children by covering their tuition fees as well as caring for their daily needs, as in a real family. Because of this aid, the children can fully concentrate on their studies and achieve outstanding results.
AFRICAN ACADEMICS CAREER SUPPORT:
Network for internships and support of start-ups
Providing effective help cannot just end with achieving good final degrees. Therefore, African Academics makes use of its worldwide business network to arrange for internships and to give the children a chance to widen their knowledge as well as their qualifications. We further connect our young talents with potential investors to enable innovative business concepts to be realized in their home countries. Therefore, new ideas and incentives are created that create real possibilities for the respective developing country.
AFRICAN ACADEMICS ALUMNI:
Self-determined life and cultivating networks
An important concern for the work of African Academics is not transporting “colonial” perceptions and thoughts into the future. We rather provide real measures of support, so that our children can live a responsible and self-determined life. They shall realize their full potential and discover the strength in themselves. Our core values heavily rely on family values, which means that we still feel responsible even when our adult “children” have completed their African Academics programme. We encourage continued contact and exchange of ideas between alumni and current programme students. By measures of internships and mentoring programmes our alumni can lead and accompany the children on the path to success. The tools of success can be passed down to the next generation – as Marcel Jahnke did.
of Core Values
For Talent
Development
NEED TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN
YOUR CAREER?
African Academics: The future leadership of Ghana.
Goal
African Academics supports and nourishes the future leadership of Ghana. Our goal consists of establishing both a professional and family network to teach and foster the core values of African Academics, enabling children in the programme to flourish and profit throughout and after their studies. These future generations of young people shall be able to have real chances in life, so that they can actively influence the societal order as well as the current ethical values.
A real help for self-help / actively providing incentives for societal development! African Academics adds one more thing … engaging meaningfully!
How can you help and become a part of the African Academics family?
- Donations for construction of the family house for Academic children in Ghana. Estimated cost 500K+ euro, for 100 children, ready by 2022.
- Donations and sponsorships can help pay for cover for tuition and living costs for one or more Academic children. You have good contacts on hand, a functional professional network or even own your own company(ies)? You should really get to know our new talents. Curious? We would be delighted if you could get in touch with us, so that we can create real career possibilities for the children – together!
- We are happy for any kind of recommendation or support on how to make our ideas and projects visible in the public space.
- You know universities, or other foundations and associations that share similar ideas like ours or might be interested to participate in our foundation’s work? Then we’re looking forward to any kind of information or even direct contacts!