03 October 2019, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA) is proud to announce that it will mark its 25 years of service
to refugees and internally displaced persons with events on 23 – 25 October in Kigali, Rwanda.
On 23 October, AHA will explore its journey and build on its significant past achievements, as
well as chart a course for the way ahead with its statutory meetings.
In addition, on 24-25 October, as part of The African Union’s (AU) Theme of the Year, “The Year
of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced
Displacement in Africa” AHA will co-orgnise with our partners AU and The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) a high-level Continental Consultative Meeting (CCM)
focusing on global solidarity and responsibility-sharing.
A small group of experienced Ethiopian professionals launched AHA in 1994 with a mission of 13
volunteers, drawn from seven African nations, to address Rwanda's unfolding humanitarian
tragedy. Since then, AHA has operated swiftly and effectively to support more than 25 million
people across 20 African countries.
Operational countries have included Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea (Conakry), Kenya, Liberia, Namibia,
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
From its HQ in Addis Ababa, AHA has invested US$190 million to deliver help, hope and a better
future in health and sanitation, food security and nutrition, education, shelter and infrastructure,
coordination and logistics, protection and sustainable livelihoods.
AHA cooperates with local structures and international partners to provide humanitarian relief,
strengthen local community groups, increase displaced people's disaster coping capacities, and
implement long-term sustainable community-based development projects.
Always seeking the community-based empowerment of Africans, AHA works to build capacities;
it rehabilitates disaster-ravaged health care facilities, builds hospitals and health centers from
scratch, constructs water wells and schools, and trains local staff.
Building a reputation for efficiency, accountability and transparency, AHA has won the trust of
donors and supporters, and secured the endorsement of international auditors.
Beyond the frontline, AHA plays an important role in bringing an African voice to the otherwise
northern-dominated advocacy arena for international humanitarian policy.
AHA exemplifies Africa’s humanitarian initiative at its best, committed to shift the out-of-date
image of Africa as a continent in endless crisis to one of a continent in transition.
Media Contact: Mahlet Zerayacob, Communications Officer
communications@africahumanitarian.org, Tel: +251 (0)11 660-4800 / 660-3700
www.africahumanitarian.org , Twitter: @ahaction
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