ABOUT US
The word Ujimaa is a hybrid of two principles based from the Swahili language – Ujima and Ujamaa. Ujima translates to “collective responsibility”; Ujamaa -“cooperative economics”. Ujimaa Foundation strives to merge the two, as we believe that the vicious cycle that perpetuates poverty can only be broken by satisfying the basic needs of social and economic support.
Ujimaa's mission is to instill and promote high levels of esteem in our youth through academics, enrichment activities, self-discipline, and culture. Our vision is to see our students benefiting from healthy family and social relationships, possessing tools that lead to an increased standard of living, and being a positive force in their communities. The success of our mission will level the playing field for children and youth as they build their capacity to succeed in school and beyond.
It is common for us to employ mindful exercises such as yoga and meditation during attendance and end-of- day reflection time. We fundamentally believe that the body and mind work in unison and that kinesthetics rejuvenate the brain. All students participating in Ujimaa programs engage in activities that will make them college, career, and community ready. Our students frequent local college campuses and create college name-based teams when engaging in academic competitions and more.
Parents have remained confident that we will provide the gems of knowledge that would foster a sense of pride in their children. Intergenerational learning is important to our mission, so we encourage parents and family to attend our program showcases. These showcases commemorate significant moments in history and present striking performances to call for increased community support, love, and involvement. We strive to remind parents of the best our collective humanity which allows families to adopt the Ujimaa way and improve family practices. For example, we address all members of the community as "brother" and "sister" to induce a greater sense of community and family.