About Rafiki

History of Rafiki

The Rafiki Foundation, directed by Rosemary Jensen, began in 1985 when, with the help of several churches, two doctors and their wives were sent to Tanzania, Africa, to work in the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center and to teach the Bible. Rafiki was incorporated and registered in the U.S.A. as a nonprofit organization [501(c)(3)] in 1987 and its work is entirely funded by charitable donations.

Aim of Rafiki

Rafiki helps orphans and widows in Africa become godly contributors in their countries.

Rafiki’s Programs

The Rafiki Foundation sends out qualified professionals to work with nationals in ten African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia) to promote the physical, spiritual, educational, and social well-being of children and widows. Rafiki’s plan is to establish a Rafiki Training Village in each country containing the following programs:

ChildCare Program

The goal of the ChildCare Program is to fill ten Rafiki Training Villages with healthy, growing, learning children who increasingly love God.

Education Program

The goal of the Education Program is to operate Christian schools in all ten Rafiki Training Villages that serve as a model for church schools in Africa. An important part of our desire to be a model to others is the distribution of Rafiki's School Curriculum, including the Rafiki Bible Study, to these schools. By writing our own curriculum, Rafiki can give it to our African Partner Denomination churches.

Training Program

The headmasters and teachers of the African church schools need to be trained on how to effectively implement our materials. The Rafiki Training program exposes national headmasters to the various aspects of Rafiki's academic education model at the preprimary, primary, and secondary levels.

Widows Program

The goal of the Widows Program is to provide African widows and impoverished women of the church a means of employment and artistic expression through the making of handcrafts. Rafiki will purchase, ship, and sell the widow’s handcrafts through the Rafiki Exchange.