Stories ·
ZuAfrique is becoming a foundation
Why we are establishing ZuAfrique as a charity in England & Wales, and what it means for the work ahead.
ZuAfrique started as a gathering. It is becoming a foundation.
Over two residencies in Kilifi, Kenya, we have tested a simple idea. In a post-AI world, the scarce resource will not only be technology or capital. It will be the quality of human connection, trust and collaboration. We call this the human layer, and Africa, with its deep traditions of interdependence, creativity and resilience, is where we are testing it first.
The ambition is global. To grow the work, reach more people and be accountable to everyone who funds it, we are establishing the ZuAfrique Foundation as a charity in England & Wales. That means published accounts, trustees who answer for every pound, and public reporting on our impact, including what goes wrong.
It also means the work no longer has to rely on one organisation. Until now, AyaHQ has funded most of it. Residents told us that this was a risk to the programme’s future, and they were right.
As our founder, Eric Annan, put it when ZuAfrique began:
“We can no longer afford to be spectators in conversations that define our future. ZuAfrique exists to place African builders, thinkers, and creators at the centre of the table where ideas are shaped, decisions are made, and innovation reflects our lived realities.”
The foundation is how we keep that promise, and take it further.