Our Mission
Our Mission
Ashinaga USA is a leadership development organization that is building a continent-wide pipeline of ethical, globally trained African leaders who return home to solve Africa's most pressing challenges and shape the continent's future.
Ashinaga USA represents the Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) in the US. We support high-achieving, low-income students from Sub-Saharan Africa who have lost one or both parents.
Our goal is to address Africa’s bigger challenges one Scholar at a time.
Our Vision
Africa’s demographic dividend as the world’s youngest continent by 2025 with one in four people on Earth being African. Yet many African countries face significant shortages of skilled, ethical, globally connected leaders capable of addressing complex challenges in health, education, governance, climate resilience, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Africa loses some of its brightest talent every year to global migration.
In an effort to reverse “brain drain” and contribute to addressing Africa’s bigger challenges, Ashinaga identifies exceptional young leaders before they leave, equip them with world-class education, and support them in bringing their skills, networks, and expertise back to Africa.
Ashinaga USA does not simply support education through full scholarships in top universities in the U.S., it cultivates return-ready leaders - turning talent into transformation. Each returning scholar influences thousands of lives through public service, entrepreneurship, education, healthcare, policy, and community development.
In short, our goal is to convert Africa's demographic potential into leadership capital.
Building Africa’s Leadership Pipeline
Agahozo is studying Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami to address the issues of delayed healthcare delivery in Rwanda through biomedicine and entrepreneurship. She is a summer intern at International Organization for Migration (IOM-UN) in Kigali, Rwanda.
Festus studied Economics and African Studies, with a minor in Business, at Northwestern University to harness entrepreneurship to uplift communities in rural Namibia. He now works at Capricorn Asset Management in Windhoek, Namibia.
Godfrella, Botswana
Project Manager, Lady Khama Charitable Trust
“Education was never just a personal milestone for me—it was a tool to effect change in my community. Returning home wasn’t without challenges, but it was never a question. This is where I’m meant to build, grow, and serve.”
Molefi, Botswana
Founder and Motion Designer, BM Motion
“As a digital animator and advocate, I am helping to grow Botswana’s creative industry and support social development. At Voodoo Advertising, I create high-quality 2D and 3D animations for top local brands, improving how they tell their stories and connect with audiences. As the President of the Care Leavers Association, I work to support vulnerable youth by creating systems that help them integrate into society. Through my work in animation and advocacy, I am combining creativity and leadership to make a positive impact in Botswana.”
Development & Communications Manager, Gardens for Health International
Angelique, Rwanda
“I graduated from American University with a B.A, International Studies. I currently work at Gardens for Health International, an organization working to end child malnutrition in Rwanda. I lead the organization’s fundraising efforts and oversee communications. I am glad that I get to contribute to public health outcomes of the Rwandan population.”