Joint capacity of the collaborative partners: support and funding
SHAREcircle’s Mission and Commitment to the Bié University Project
Guerra Freitas, a Native Angolan, now studying in the United States, established SHAREcircle (SHARE) to work in countries emerging from conflicts and civil strife. SHARE is a 501(c)(3) corporation committed to promoting economic development and self-reliance, improving health and education, providing relief to disaster victims, internally displaced people and refugees, advancing human rights, and protecting the environment.
SHARE’s Track Record in Angola
SHARE launched active work projects in the Bié and Kuando Kubango provinces of Angola in early 1999. With the end of the Angolan civil war in 2002, SHARE began concentrating on implementing self-help projects, empowering Angolans to become self-sufficient. SHARE’s intimate connection with Angola and extensive network of volunteers located both in the U.S. and in Angola make it unique.
SHARE’s Leadership
SHARE will be able to implement the University Project because of strong leadership from Guerra Freitas, its Board of Directors, and the Board of Trustees of the Bié University Project. SHARE’s Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees for the University include distinguished professors and staff from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, the United Nations University of Peace, Salisbury University in Maryland, leaders from business, educational foundations, policymakers, and career diplomats.
Kellogg School of Management’s Feasibility Study about Share’s Capacity to Spearhead the Project in Angola.
In September of 2006, SHARE asked the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University to have a team of graduate students conduct a feasibility study on SHARE’s University Project. In January of 2007, after looking at all organizational aspects of SHARE, the Kellogg School of Management team led by Mr. Savinay Berry presented its findings. The team found that SHARE is capable of implementing the University Project in Angola and recommend that SHARE concentrate on higher education because of its human resources. They noted that SHARE not only is involved with leading universities but also has access to higher education networks throughout the world.
Collaborative Partners
SHARE’s President, Guerra Freitas, leads the effort to garner support for the Bié University. His personal commitment to education is reinforced by the numerous requests he received from community leaders in Bié to establish educational opportunities. He has begun partnering with the international aid organization, Africare, located in Washington D.C. and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, a Methodist graduate school of theology located in Evanston, Illinois. He has also initiated discussions with major American universities.
Africare’s Mission, Capacity and Commitment to the University Project
Africare’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Africa. Africare works in partnership with African communities to achieve healthy and productive societies, by placing communities at the center of development activities. Africare believes that only through strong communities can Africa feed itself, appropriately exploit its natural resources, educate, care for, and protect its children, promote the economic well being of African people, and enable them to live in peace. Over the course of its history, Africare has become a leader among private, charitable U.S. organizations assisting Africa. It is the oldest and largest joint African and American organization in the field. Africare’s programs address needs in food security and agriculture as well as health and HIV/AIDS. Africare also supports water resource development, environmental management, literacy and vocational training, microenterprise development, civil society development, governance initiatives and emergency humanitarian aid. Africare now reaches families and communities in 25 countries in every major region of Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to South Africa and from Chad to Mozambique. Since its founding in 1970, Africare has delivered more than $590 million in assistance — over 2,000 projects — to 36 countries. Africare was created by Africans and Americans working as partners. Its financial support comes from one of the most diverse donor bases in the charitable world. It earns the highest rating from Charity Navigator. (Refer to Africare’s website for more details and background.) Africare has direct experience in Angola, and specifically in Bié Province, where the new University will be built. Africare has worked on the front lines of assistance to the people of Angola since 1990. Of necessity, the work has focused on emergency aid; more recently, with the advent of peace in Angola, Africare has broadened its development work, especially in the areas of agriculture and health. Over the years Africare has taken the lead role in spearheading public/private partnerships with numerous oil companies, USAID, World Vision, World Food Programme, and the United Nations throughout Angola, especially in Bié Province.
Africare’s contribution to planning and developing the new University in Angola will include identifying potential donors, and applying for more institutional funding to ensure the sustainability of the University, assisting in managing funds when needed, and coordinating with SHARE to find high qualified faculty and staff for the University.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
On March 21, 2007, Guerra Freitas met with Dr. Philip A. Amerson, the President of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. During the discussions of future partnership, Dr. Amerson said that Garrett could send its graduates to Angola to work at the University.
Northwestern University Capacity and Commitment to the University Project
SHARE’s President is currently talking with Northwestern University to establish a formal relationship. It would be an excellent partner in this project because it is a well-respected comprehensive university with a deep commitment to excellent teaching and research in the arts and sciences. Guerra Freitas has been negotiating with Dr. David Ferster, the chair of the Neurobiology and Physiology Department of Northwestern to create an exchange program through which teachers and students from the new Angolan University could come to Northwestern to exchange ideas about teaching and research. Guerra Freitas is also making arrangements to meet with President Henry S. Bienen of Northwestern to explore a university-wide partnership.
Support and Funding
SHARE has contacted both the Government of Angola, through her Excellency, Ambassador Josefina Pitra Diakité, and the Chevron Corporation. Both entities have committed to match any funds SHARE can initially raise for the University Project. More importantly, the Government of Bié province has already assigned a plot of land to SHARE where the University will be built.
SHARE’s intimate connection with Angola and extensive network of volunteers located both in the U.S. and in Angola make it unique.