African Education Program

The African Education Program (AEP) is a registered 501(c) 3 charitable organization with a track record of successful programs on the ground in Zambia and life-changing impact for its student beneficiaries.

AEP seeks to empower the youth of Zambia through education and leadership, to break the cycle of poverty in their communities. This transformation starts with hope—AEP creates access to educational opportunities so that each beneficiary has the resources needed to reach their full potential as students and responsible citizens. 

In order to attain this mission, AEP collaborates with local leaders to create self-sustaining educational resource centers to provide much needed resources; awards scholarships to relieve economic burden inhibiting students to attend high school; creates opportunity after graduation through college or vocational training scholarships; and links privileged and underprivileged communities. 

AEP’s unique approach stems from a unique start. The organization was envisioned in 2002, when four American high school sophomores decided they wanted to do something about the poverty and AIDS ravaging sub-Saharan Africa. Their focus was drawn to Zambia, an English-speaking, landlocked country in the region, plagued by poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic, but also known for peace, stability and economic growth.

Over the past 15 years, AEP’s work has focused on creating change in one community, Kafue, by:

• Opening and developing its flagship educational resource center, named the Amos Youth Centre (AYC), which is frequented by an average of 275 students per day and provides academic support, extracurricular activities, and leadership development programs.
• Awarding nearly 2,400 annual scholarships since 2007. Over 1,000 students awarded at least one annual scholarship.
• Preparing meals five days per week for over 200 students through the Nutrition Program.
• Creating a special education program so that the community’s most marginalized children can acquire language and occupational skills