Our Mission Statement
Mission Africa is a faith based, non-profit organization that operates out of Phoenix, Arizona and is dedicated to empowering Nigerians to transform their communities by delivering quality improvements in education, healthcare, and community development. Presently, Mission Africa concentrates on providing aid to the village of Sapele with the hope of expanding its efforts more broadly across Nigeria.
In collaboration with local leaders, Mission Africa helps rebuild African communities by developing three programs that are vital to sustainable success:
Educational Programs
Community Development Programs
Healthcare/Malnutrition Programs
Our Story
Mission Africa is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2007. At that time, founder Victor Jakpor, of Sapele, Nigeria, answered the call to help the children of his homeland who no longer had the ability to receive a good education.
As a child, Victor had the benefit of attending schools backed by British colonization. In 1985, that support ended and the impact of that loss was immediate and drastic. Schools fell into disrepair and closed. The children began walking farther and farther to get to the remaining schools. The buildings continued to deteriorate, turning into rooms without roofs, doors, or windows. They had no running water, no toilets, and no books.
Still, the schools never fully closed because the people of Sapele understand the value of education. Although their efforts have been hindered by what seem like insurmountable odds, they continue to teach the children the best they can with what they have on hand.
Mission Africa started in response to pleas from family and friends in Victor’s home village to help educate their children and those in the community. Through the efforts of the Board of Directors and many generous donors and supporters, Mission Africa has contributed to the town’s primary schools in the following ways:
Provided textbooks and supplies on a yearly basis
Installed and maintained four wells
Installed and maintained three toilets
Repaired and replaced roofs
These successes have fueled the organization’s vision and because of these accomplishments, so far, the lives of 1000+ children have forever been changed for the better. Hope has been ignited among students, teachers, administrators, and families.
There is excitement in the faces and voices of the children. They are joyful about being able to go to school each day, whether they must walk a half mile or three miles to get there. They are thrilled to have books to use and to be able to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Teachers and administrators are excited to fulfill their missions to better prepare the children of their community for brighter futures wherein their education can lift them out of abject poverty and their imaginations can spark further progress.
Sapele families are also excited that their children will have improved opportunities in this world due to the knowledge they’ve gained and can apply to developing a safer and more sustainable community.
Our Vision & Hope
As our mission unfolds, we continue to plan our vision going forward.
This includes:
Supporting additional schools and communities, adding at least 1 per year
Providing scholarships to children moving on to secondary schools in order to assist with the cost of books and school uniforms
Building a “Dream Center” to provide after school programs, a literacy program, and job skills development. This will be a place where people from the local community and worldwide outreach programs, who wish to work with the children of Sapale and the surrounding communities, may do so on a daily basis.
To fulfill these goals, we are currently identifying and contracting with individuals, churches, and organizations to secure funding for these projects for a set period of time in order to develop them as long-term successes.