Past Activities

 AUSPF made its first grant to Ukwakhisana (Gathering Together-Growing Together) in South Africa.
Ukwakhisana is a non-governmental organization (NGO) whose principal focus is to enhance the quality of life and increase business prospects, agricultural developments and tourism development in poor communities around the Kruger National Park.

Ukwakhisana applied the AUSPF grant to the work of the Nhluvuko Agricultural Project – Lillydale Community. This women’s fresh vegetable community agriculture project involves soil preparation, planting, growing, pest control, crop rotation, harvesting, packaging and marketing processes. The fresh vegetables grown provide food for the community and a source of shared income when surplus vegetables are sold to neighboring communities and tourism lodges.

AUSPF also made a grant to Ingwavuma Orphan Care (IOC) located in KwaZulu Natal, near the Swaziland and Mozambique Borders. IOC provides healthcare, psychosocial and economic support, life Skills training and vocational skills training programs. This grant was in support of the AIDS Orphans' woodwork training project.

AUSPF accepted and distributed designated funds raised in Los Angeles, California for the Rwanda Cinema Center. The Center is located in Kigali, Rwanda. The Rwanda Cinema Center is a place where youth can learn, play and acquire new entrepreneurial leadership skills through filmmaking.

 Muth

Muthara High School was a feature grantee. Muthara High School received its first grant in 2011 to start a computer lab for the school and a internet cafe' for the community. AUSPF with the support of the Science & Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Conneciticut set up this income producing computer project for the school. The computer lab was capable of housing ten computers. The lab had equipment to project the images from a single computer to a screen so that even a classroom of thirty could learn from one computer. Muthara used the screen for its free "Introduction to Computer Literacy" workshops it held for the community. The internet also provided access to distant learning programs. Muthara High School and the Science & Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut communicated through Skype. They had specific groups at each school, for example the environmental club participate in this project.