Mission 

 To improve quality of services to children and positively transform lives.

Vision  

 Leading institute for knowledge management and capacity building on children.

Child development plays a crucial role in the success of someone’s life. African Institute for Children Studies, strives to improve the lives of children through policy and advocacy, research and knowledge management, training and organization capacity development, and providing funding for education. Currently serving those in Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, AICS has plans to expand to Zimbabwe, Sierra Leon, Ghana, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi.  A long term goal is to establish residence throughout all countries in Africa (Strategic Direction, 2017).

The collaboration of this project was established when Executive Director of AICS, Samuel Munyuwiny, visited the School of Social Work in the Global Center for Applied Health on a fellowship. Mr. Munyuwiny had the desire of recieving assistance with developing his program in Africa. As it is a passion of mine to work with children in developing countries, the partnership between the two of us was a perfect fit. Mr. Munyuwiny and I began working togther regularly, in person, from October of 2017 until the end of Decmber when he had to return to his home in Africa. Our communication continued via skype conference calls. As I am aware my time in this internship is beginning to conclude, it is a goal of mine to have a continued partnership between AICS and the Office of Global Social Work, so furture interns can continue with our efforts. 

My contribution

• I conducted a process and outcome program evaluation (see in tab to left). 
• Mr. Munyuwiny had the vision to turn AICS Education Fund from a sponsorship program, which consisted of only providing funding to children, to a scholarship program, which would provide school tuition, along with including the children in a leadership and community engagement fellowship. I developed a logic model and strategic plan that will help guide AICS through the development of this program, per request of Mr. Munyuwiny (see in tab to left). 
• I am currently having regular skype meetings working with Samuel Munyuwiny, Executive Director, and Edward Mose, Education Fund Coordinator, to work toward implementation of a newly designed program.
• I am working on the reconstructing of the database of all student scholarship applicants and recipiants. 
• Developing a Monitoring and Evaluation framework for Education Fund program.
• Assisting in fundraising for program with a goal of $5,000. 
• Assist in establishing global stakeholders 
• Develop internship program 

 "I really thank God for people like you (AICS). I live with my single parent (mother) who does food hawking for survival. This cannot cater for few for both my sister and I. AICS two years support has now enabled me to complete my secondary school education in November 2017. Thika, Kenya".