Africare

Since 1970, Africare has been improving lives and building a better future by partnering with local communities, focusing on agriculture and food security, healthcare, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, access to potable water, and women's empowerment.

In more than 40 years of building partnerships with local communities, NGOs, governments and the private sector, Africare has invested over $1 billion in more than 35 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Africare currently has active programs in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

Diori Hamani, then president of the Republic of Niger, appealed to the United States on the effort's behalf, asking, "Why don't black Americans, whose ancestors came from the continent, respond to the needs in Africa?

"[1] C. Payne Lucas, then the director of the Peace Corps Office of Returned Volunteers in Washington, D.C. served previously in Niger and knew the president from that time.

In 1971, Africare was permanently reincorporated in Washington, D.C. Lucas became the executive director (later, that title changed to "president"), and Kirker joined the board.

Prior to joining Africare, Dr. Mans served as acting chief executive officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).