Alumni Association participates in American Fundraising Model

Abstract

The University of Nairobi Alumni Association (UONAA) recently participated in the American Fundraising Model study visit that was 2014 organized by King Baudouin Foundation of United States (KBFUS) and the Advancement Academy of the Stellenbosch University of South Africa in New York. The study visit brought together 25 African Universities leaders working as vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellor and advancement/alumni officers from seven African countries namely: Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania and Liberia.

According to the Director, UONAA, Mr. Johnson I. Kinyua, the forum not only provided an opportunity to learn more about fundraising for the Association’s projects but also networking with other universities and stakeholders. Some of the lessons learnt include: the role of universities as solution providers to the Government and community at large, the power of endowment as a key strategy to financial sustainability, the role of chancellors and vice-chancellors in fundraising and ways of engaging corporations as an alumni association.

Through the forum, IBM conveyed its interest in working with Computing for Development (C4D) Innovation Lab, Carnegie Corporation New York is looking to make the University of Nairobi a hub university for East Africa and CASE is interested in hosting the CASE Africa Conference 2014 in East Africa.