American-African Youth Leadership Foundation (AAYLF)

We are a 501©3 nonprofit organization registered in Pennsylvania.

 Our program will cover all the costs including tuition, books, transportation, nutritious meals, and in some cases we will provide housing so that the girls can escape child marriages and further their education while living in a healthy environment.

 AAYLF will provide full funding to girls to stay in school and attend college so they can escape the threat of child marriage and have the opportunity to live an independent, self-sustaining life.   If you sponsor a girl for 1 year, you will get her picture, her story and her school progress throughout the year.

What It Cost To Sponsor A Girl:

• $25 monthly donation will keep her in high school for a year
• $100 will pay for one semester for a high school girl
• $300 will pay for a whole year for a high school girl
• $500 will pay for college tuition for one semester
• $1,000 will pay for a  whole year of college
• $350 will pay for one semester of culinary school
• $1,050 will pay for a whole year of culinary school

 We hope to challenge the rigid cultural norms that promote gender discrimination and child marriages in Zimbabwe.

My name is Bongai Mhloyi (Ms B) I was born and raised in Zimbabwe.  I came to USA with my husband to attend college with the thought of returning to Zimbabwe right after graduation.  I knew from a very young age that I have a compassion for people, especially girls.

 At about 12 years old I witness child marriage in my family.  My 75 year old grandfather married a 12 year old girl. Her father had married her off to my grandfather in exchange for ten (10) cows. The terror in her face did not need any explanation.

 After working in social services for more than twenty years, I started a nonprofit organization, American-African Youth Leadership Foundation (AAYLF) in 2010.  I wanted to work with American youth as well as youth in Zimbabwe.

In Coatesville, Chester County we teach young girls etiquette, social graces, leadership skills and more.  We give them the tools necessary for their success.

  AAYLF helps underserved and impoverished communities in Zimbabwe by empowering vulnerable Girls through education and social skills.  We give scholarships to girls so that they can stay in school instead of getting married off to much older man. 

  AAYLF helps underserved and impoverished communities in Zimbabwe by empowering vulnerable Girls (“GirlChild”) orphans) through education and social skills.  We give scholarships to girls so that they can stay in school instead of getting married off to much older man.

AAYLF GOALS: We are dedicated to end childhood marriages through education. We believe that No Girl should be robbed of her childhood, her education and health, and her aspirations.

 Our program will cover all the costs including tuition, books, transportation, nutritious meals, and in some cases we will provide housing so that the girls can escape child marriages and further their education while living in a healthy environment.

SOLUTION:. AAYLF will provide full funding to girls to stay in school and attend college so they can escape the threat of child marriage and have the opportunity to live an independent, self-sustaining life. Since 2010, we have impacted more than 250 girls.  I am very happy with my work and I am always looking for partners to sponsor the girls. If you sponsor a girl for 1 year, you will get her picture, her story and her school progress throughout the year.

HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPSHigh school is a time for teens to learn valuable skills for life from peers and professionals.School days fill time with fun, informational activities and prepare teens for the world of work. There are many reasons a high school education is important, but most of all it is a means to achieve long-term goals and feel a sense of pride in accomplishment.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

College is important for many reasons, including long-term financial gain, job stability, career satisfaction and success outside of the workplace. With more and more occupations requiring advanced education, a college degree is critical for these girls' success in today's workforce.

MENTORSHIP

Mentoring can help youth as they go through challenging life transitions, including dealing with stressful changes at home or transitioning to adulthood. Close, healthy, supportive relationships between mentors and mentees that last for a significant portion of time (i.e., more than one year) are central to success. Without this, mentoring programs run the risk of harming young people who are paired with mentors ill-equipped to meet the mentees' needs. 

Other Services we provide are:

GUIDANCE & CAREER COUNSELINGWOMEN & HEALTH

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

With Your Valuable Contribution

Child Marriages in Africa often ends a girl’s education, exposes her to domestic violence and grave health risks from early childbearing and HIV, and traps her in poverty, according to the Human Rights Watch. 

AAYLF exists to facilitate holistic care for the vulnerable, marginalized, traumatized, and impoverished- especially children.

We work alongside them by:

Directing resources

to meet their immediate food, shelter, healthcare needs (with minimal administrative costs) and most importantly, education.

Empowering them

through educational and sustainable economic opportunities

Uplifting them

through loving friendship, community and faithful prayer

Bringing together

a community around philanthropy and global issues, and sharing inspiring stories of young people using their gifts to bless others and create social change.

AAYLF ensures that the children has an opportunity to have a normal life free from the burden of being married off, or sold to due to poverty.  We want to be able to help push our youth toward their given purpose.  We offer scholarship opportunities to our girls that will soon be transitioning from elementary school to high school and high school to college.