About Us
Apayi Charitable Organization Inc is a not-for-profit community organization that was established on 24 August 2021 in Melbourne, Australia, dedicated to providing benevolent support to vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the African community in Australia, by working to improve their everyday life conditions and promoting social inclusion, as well as advancing and supporting the education of refugees and disadvantaged children in Uganda. We currently run activities in Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, and Kampala - Uganda.
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At Apayi Charitable Organization Inc, we strive to act as agents and driving forces for positive change in the lives of vulnerable individuals within the African community in Australia. Our primary goal is to improve their everyday living conditions and promote their integration and equal participation within the wider society. By supporting and uplifting this neglected and disadvantaged group, we believe we can contribute to building a better world for tomorrow.
To achieve our mission, we rely heavily on the dedication and support of volunteers who share our passion for making a difference.
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Our activities are inspired by a picture of a future of a community that is safe and fair for everyone and in which all people are free to be themselves, fulfil their potential and achieve their goals.
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The word Apayi in the Kakwa language means ‘something or someone who is rejected. Apayi is a common name used among the South Sudanese Kakwa tribe. Children who were born to mothers who were rejected by their husbands because they were female and not male were given the name Apayi.
Apayi Charitable Organization Inc, adopted the name Apayi to honour members of the community who are rejected or feel rejected for various reasons, including being members of a minority group, tribe, religion, asylum seekers, refugees, disabled, unmarried single mothers, divorced, orphans etc.
The members of Apayi Charitable Organization Inc are from a refugee background.
Apayi Charitable Organization Inc acknowledges that, while the Australian government, local organizations and other communities have helped its members settle and indeed integrate into the wider community, a combination of linked problems (such as poverty, instability of employment, under-employment, poor skills, low incomes, lack of accommodation, etc.) experienced by several community members could jeopardize this move to successfully encourage their full integration. Thus, making them excluded from the general community.
Apayi Charitable Organization Inc wants to be part of the driving force to encourage the community to fully settle and integrate into the wider community. The organization wants to bring about a positive change in the lives of its members so that they may achieve their highest potential and fully contribute to the wider community.
We believe that the community needs a firm foundation and support, but also acknowledge that the community needs to be challenged and empowered to fulfil its potential. We also believe that society’s negative attitudes and actions towards new communities must change, as these are also part of what makes an individual socially excluded.
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