HISTORY

ACCRA SHARED COMMITMENT

We, the representatives of the African YMCA National Movements, meeting under the auspices of the Africa Alliance of YMCAs, at the Strategic Design & Related Meetings, in Accra, Ghana, from the 23rd February – 1 March 2007, do hereby covenant with each other to be the primary resource, dedicated to the future of the African YMCA. We will be the first line of resources for the realization of a common vision of the African YMCAs. We, therefore, collectively commit to:

1. Developing a new model geared to sustain YMCA member movements of the African Alliance.
2. Engaging and informing our movements at zonal, national and local levels of the proposals of this gathering for their further inputs through the zonal process.
3. Mobilizing resources; financial, human and material, for the furtherance of the vision of the African movements.
4. Championing a socially relevant, Christian identity and mission that will create a welcoming environment for all members of our communities.
5. Align ourselves with the aims and objectives of the African Renaissance agenda.
6. Effective peer review processes that will ensure accountability, transparency and progress.
7. Proactive engagement with partners, both local and overseas, to foster significant collaboration and mutual accountability.
8. Strong, ecumenical linkages that will raise our prophetic voice.
9. Effective partnering and engagement with regional and pan-African institutions such as NEPAD and the AU to participate in advocacy programmes.
10. Effective and responsible participation as African YMCAs in the World Alliance and its related programmes. We commit ourselves before God and each other, being fully dependent upon God’s faithfulness and empowering grace, to remain true to this pledge.

Signed by: National Movements representatives:

Ethiopia -Tekle Abegaz, Fanta Terefe

Ghana -Dr. Emmanuel Osafo, Charles Habiah, Sam Anim

Kenya -Patrick Agutu, Eric Kinuthia

Liberia -Peter Kamei

Madagascar -Lantonirina Rakotomalala

Nigeria -Otunba Oyin Adedeji, Aisa Habila, Sola Afuye

Senegal -Maitre Ndiaye Daniel, Evelyne Sami Sadio, Simon Badiane

Sierra Leone -Charles P.O. Siaka, Christian Kamara

South Africa -Sipho Sokhela, Maria Moate, Vezi Mncwango

The Gambia -Oreme E. Joiner, Sam Thorpe

Togo -David Sanvee, Frank Gafan, Enyo Gbedemah

Zambia -Moses Malunda, Annie Ngwira

Zimbabwe -Vincent Tawanda Maruza

Africa Alliance -Clifford M. Sileya, James Rhule Sophie, M. Ahadji, Lucy Wanjiru, James Gomez, Carlos Sanvee

Immediate Past President World Alliance -Rev. Caesar Molebatsi

Facilitator -Steve Hobbs

Challenge 21

“Challenge 21″ signifies responsibilities that YMCAs might assume in the new millennium according to their specific needs and possibilities. The potential agenda-orientations in Challenge 21 clearly position the YMCA in relation to wider societal happenings. It was consciously not titled as a Statement of Mission – such a statement might emerge as a consequence of a continuing process. For the time being, Challenge 21 was felt as a step forward in renewing an understanding of the implications of mission in our times, with the Paris Basis maintained as the foundation of YMCA mission. Even as the world we live in becomes more and more complex, we are obliged to find ways in which we remain geared to the times, but equally or more importantly, anchored to the rock. Affirming the Paris Basis adopted in 1855, as the ongoing foundation statement of the mission of the YMCA, at the threshold of the third millennium, we declare that the YMCA is a world-wide Christian, ecumenical, voluntary movement for women and men with special emphasis on and the genuine involvement of young people and that it seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation.

Each member YMCA is therefore called to focus on certain challenges which will be prioritized according to its own context. These challenges which are an evolution of the Kampala Principles adopted in 1973 include:

• Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and striving for the spiritual, intellectual and physical well-being of individuals and wholeness of communities.
• Empowering all, especially young people and women to take increased responsibilities and assume leadership at all levels and working towards an equitable society.
• Advocating for and promoting the rights of women and upholding the rights of children.
• Fostering dialogue and partnership between people of different faiths and ideologies and recognizing the cultural identities of people and promoting cultural renewal.
• Committing to work in solidarity with the poor, dispossessed, uprooted people and oppressed racial, religious and ethnic minorities.
• Seeking to be mediators and reconcilers in situations of conflict and working for meaningful participation and advancement of people for their own self-determination.
• Defending God’s creation against all that would destroy it and preserve and protect the earth’s resources for coming generations. To face these challenges, the YMCA will develop patterns of co-operation at all levels that enable self-sustenance and self-determination.

Adopted at the 14th World Council of YMCAs, Frechen, Germany, 1998

Paris Basis

The continuing basis of the work and witness of the Young Men’s Christian Association is expressed in the PARIS BASIS, as adopted by the delegates of the First World Conference in Paris in 1855, and reaffirmed by the 6th World Council of YMCAs in 1973. The Young Men’s Christian Associations seek to unite those young men who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour, according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to be his disciples in their faith and in their life and to associate their efforts for the extension of his Kingdom amongst young men.

Any differences of opinion on other subjects, however important in themselves, shall not interfere with the harmonious relations of the constituent members and associates of the World Alliance.

NAIROBI DECLARATION

YMCA Leaders from various countries in Africa gathered in Nairobi from the 10th to 12th November for a series of governance meetings. The meeting gathered the Executive Committee of the Africa Alliance, Board Presidents of National Movements, National General Secretaries and youth representatives. Our partners from Y Global and Y Care International/All We Can as well as Carlos Sanvee the Secretary General of World Alliance of YMCAs were in attendance. As a result the meetings, the Nairobi declaration commissioned by Board presidents of 17 NMs prescribed commitment to deliver on the pillars of the Y 3.0 Game plan framed along the ideals of Youth empowerment.