Historical Context
In August 2016, The African Canadian Association of Waterloo Region and Area (ACAWRA) received $67,600 in funding from Ontario Trillium Foundation to deliver an afterschool program at the conceptual stage; this resulted in the creation of Ubuntu Kids Club. Ubuntu Kids Club is an inclusive after-school social engagement and educational support program targeting urban immigrant and refugee children living in the Waterloo Region.
The African-Canadian Association of the Waterloo Region & Area is a local umbrella organization for African immigrant and refugee communities represented in the Waterloo Region, a mid sized urban centre in Southwestern Ontario. ACAWRA works in collaboration with community agencies, government organizations and the community at-large to enhance the general wellbeing community members. ACAWRA is a community based organization and is currently working in three program focus areas to increase the enhance community well-being.
These areas include; the Homework Support Program for Children and Youth, Recreation: Indoor/Outdoor Soccer Program, and Immigration Aid. Historically the African Canadian Association of Waterloo Region and Area has operated a Homework Support Program to African Canadian children in the Waterloo Region. In 2009, Ontario Trillium Foundation funded ACAWRA to deliver a Homework Support Program in response to community identified social, educational and psychological challenges faced by local African Canadian children and youth.
The African Canadian Association of Waterloo Region and Area built on the successes and lesson learned of the Homework Support Program model to develop Ubuntu Kids Club in 2016. Ubuntu Kids Club design would incorporate a community-led after-school program model whose focus would be to offer culturally enriching educational support services to children served by the organization.
