Grassroots efforts.
Local leadership.

We support people with vision and commitment. We finance their plans to build communities where they can raise families, earn a living, and pursue their dreams. Together, we make villages.

The people of Afiri in Cameroon, Africa, have been making their village since 2021. It’s the “proof of concept” test of the village-centric development model we share. When they succeed in making a self-sufficient village, we will join them in using our experience to make more villages, over and over again.

NOTE: We are changing our name to “To Make a Village Foundation” from “African Economic and Community Development Foundation.”

Construction Begins on the Community Center!

2026 brings Afiri’s most ambitious project yet - their new community center and residential buildings. The people of the village and visitors alike will see it first as they enter Afiri. In addition to much-awaited privacy for the young families who live there, the project will provide a common space for dining, socializing, and for three of th e village’s new businesses - the Women’s Sewing Project, the boutique, and a small café for snacks and drinks available all day.

Construction will continue through the autumn, when everyone will move in. It’s a big step forward in not only their self-sufficiency, but in Afiri’s commitment to “make people happy where they live.”

We hope it makes you happy too!

Our story

  • The people of Afiri began plans to develop their village with dreams of fresh water. Two wells would provide all they need for themselves, and for people living in their neighboring villages.

     The engineer they hired told them the water table was too deep; the wells couldn’t be dug by hand. They would need a drilling rig, and their existing bridge could not support the weight of a big truck. So they changed their priorities: a new reinforced concrete bridge became their first project. And in September 2021, they built it, completely by hand.

  • Their bridge is now a symbol of their ingenuity and hard work. It carries everything and everyone into and out of Afiri, connecting them and their neighbors with the rest of Cameroon. And it has enabled them to complete every one of their development projects since.

    Thanks to the bridge, they dug two wells in 2022, providing fresh water that prevents disease from the former source – the small river the bridge now spans. It also saves time; they no longer have to walk a mile to the river and back to get water and boil it before it can be used. And it allows the people of Afiri to cook a wealth of new meals – soups, breads, and other foods that enrich their diets.

  • Water from the wells is now the springboard for their most ambitious project – the Women’s Food Independence Garden. Later in 2025, their new irrigation system will support 50 acres of corn, peanuts, okra, and other crops to feed the village, and to sell in local markets. The profits go to funding their next project – freestanding

    homes for the families that will come to Afiri as it grows.

    That is how progress is made by the people of Afiri. They dream of new projects, then plan and make them a reality. Your donations are what fuel their amazing story.

“A village is more than a place to sleep after work. It’s a place to build homes, raise families, start new businesses, and create a community. It’s about freedom of choice and hope for the future. We named our village ‘Afiri.’ It means ‘hope’ in our native language.”

Lucien Obama, Co-Founder, Village of Afiri, Cameroon

Help us keep up with them!

Your support – we’ve reached over $125,000 in grants since 2021 – has financed Afiri’s new bridge, two fresh-water wells, and the garden’s irrigation system. We knew the obvious benefits – improved access, better health, more food. Now we’re seeing the creative new projects Afiri can launch with its new infrastructure.

Donate

Afiri means hope. Here’s where to find it.

Afiri is 25 miles east of Yaoundé, in Cameroon’s fertile tropical highlands. Our first local business partner, Team KKO, operates a 70-hectare cacao farm employing many village residents. Team KKO is the source of our “People should be happy where they live” mission, has also donated land for Afiri’s houses and Food Independence Garden, and assists with project management.

Afiri shares its bridge and fresh-water wells with their neighboring villages, building a larger community and supporting regional economic growth.

What the people of Afiri want to tell you

  • “We live far away and sometimes there is no truck in the village. I was a taxi driver and if we had a motorcycle, I could drive people to the clinic if they need medical care.”

    MICHEL

  • “I met my husband Bongo here and we have three children. Before, I lived in the north and had a small sewing business. I pray every day for a new machine and am saving to begin again.”

    SUSANNA

  • “I’ve been working here three years. I didn’t come here to play. I came here to work. I am like my country. Cameroon is working to make progress every day and so am I.”

    COLLINS

  • “If my team advances, I know that I advance too. I was looking for a way to change in my life, and working here feels like I am building something for me and my family.”

    ÉTIENNE

Our local partners.

Established in 2014, Team KKO has over 30 workers, with plans to create more jobs as their cacao harvests grow. They pay a living wage and give 100% of their profits back to the village. They are a true social enterprise, and a great friend of our foundation.

Workers have already brought families to Afiri, and, as more arrive, they will build their own homes, add more solar panels, and build community kitchens and bathrooms. These projects mean more jobs, a key element of Afiri’s growth strategy. Access to education and health care has already begun, with web-based reading and writing classes for all, and basic nursing training for adult residents.

The people of Afiri are always making plans for their future, and they’re eager to tell you about their progress. We’re always happy to share their stories with you.