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Home  About Us Message from the President
Message from the President and CEO
Dr. Sokoni T. Karanja | | | 
Welcome Friends of Centers:
Over four decades ago, I had the privilege of observing first-hand the power of Kujitegumea (the concept of Self-Reliance) in transforming a people and a nation. Tanzania’s first democratically elected President, Julius Nyerere, had a monomaniacal focus on literacy, not for literacy’s sake, but as the key in creating a society of self-reliant individuals who can support themselves through work and participate in a robust, democratic community. Nyerere’s Education for Self-Reliance campaign brought free universal public education to the country and adult educators into even the most remote villages of a largely rural society. In two decades, illiteracy was wiped out.
Inspired by this experience, I, too, sought to make Kujitegumea the central focus of Centers for New Horizons. In Bronzeville, Self-Reliace means more than basic literacy. It means:
- Increasing levels of educational achievement of lower income residents in the community, with particular focus on increasing college admissions;
- Increasing employment, earnings, and home ownership levels of lower income residents in the community, so that families are self-supporting;
- Increasing the levels of leadership and participation of lower income residents in community life, so that all residents can “own” their community; and
- Bringing lower and middle income residents together to build a unified, stable community and to create their own community organizations.
To achieve these goals, Bronzeville residents and Centers for New Horizons’ staff and Board, together, have built a unique organization, guided by a set of principles, values, and ideas that speak specifically to the experiences, culture, and strengths of people of African descent, but which are universal. And we have created a set of top-quality programs – in early childhood care and education, youth development, employment, counseling, family outreach, and foster care – that are yielding tangible results toward the achievement of Kujitegumea.
I invite you to read more about us on this website, to come visit us, and to partner with us in achieving our goal of self-reliant children, youth, families, and communities.
Asante sana.
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