HISTORY

The idea of establishing the network was mooted in 2005 by a group of 40 alumni from Anglophone African countries who converged for an alumni conference organised by InWEnt in Johannesburg, South Africa. The conference culminated in the formation of the Alumni Network Africa (ANAFRIC).

The setting up of the network therefore signalled the beginning of a new era in the history of alumni with the network being the first of its kind in Africa.

The network, a loose coalition of alumni from different professional backgrounds, seeks to promote exchange of knowledge and experiences through networking, establishing contacts and building strategic partnerships among alumni and with German and other interested organisations.

Members interact via the Internet and email and also organise regular face-to-face country meetings. Once a year members converge for annual conferences where issues pertinent to the network are discussed.

ANAFRIC has chapters scattered in the region where its activities are spearhead by national and regional coordinators situated in member countries, which include Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Country coordinators are responsible for overseeing ANAFRIC activities in respective countries. They have a mandate to ensure that the set objectives of the network are achieved.

The network is open to all InWEnt alumni as well as those of other German organisations. Existing alumni associations have an integral role to play in the network while other alumni not aligned to any association or network will have an opportunity to cooperate and integrate themselves into the network.

Since its inception, activities ranging from meeting, conferences and workshops on various issues of interest to members were held in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia.

A number of successes have so far been scored and these include the setting up of various taskforces in 2006 to spearhead the activities of the network, dedication of a section in the InWEnt alumni newsletter for reports on ANAFRIC activities and holding of monthly online chats since January 2007. The development of a website is also another milestone.

InWEnt plays a key role in the network through providing guidance, funding some of its activities, linking alumni with other networks and associations, promoting further training, fostering cooperation and business linkages with German organisations.