About Us

Global Alliance for Community Empowerment (GACE) is a non profit organization established by the Agbanga Karite Group and Alaffia Fair Trade Shea Butter Body Care.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower African communities through the advancement of fair trade, education, sustainable living, and gender equality.

This mission statement explains what we do and guides all our actions; from the focus of our programs to how we allocate resources and report our results.

We will achieve our mission by:
1. Drawing upon a broad base of volunteers, working collaboratively with partners and complementing the activities of others engaged with related missions;
2. Working with our partners (Agbanga Karite Group and Alaffia Fair Trade Shea Butter) to keep abreast of needs and opportunities, help monitor the effectiveness of ongoing programs and projects, and assess the feasibility of developing new programs that reflect our values and mission;
3. Sharing our results in a wide variety of formats for different audiences including the public, decision makers, other organizations and the media; and
4. Conducting education and training activities that are focused on the advancement of fair trade, education, sustainable living and gender equality.

Our Vision

Our vision is to be an organization that aids communities in Africa to achieve a standard of living that is sustainable, ethical and fair.

This vision declares our aspirations and identifies what we are striving to become in the years ahead. Our vision draws upon the values and commitments that underlie our existence and provides guidance for dealing with essential matters arising from day-to-day events and preoccupations.

Our Values and Principles

The following principles are our rules of conduct and are standards that guide our decisions, programs and resource allocation.These principles are based on the values and beliefs of people associated with our organization. Together, our beliefs and values constitute the essence of GACE culture and provide motivation, stability, and direction.

1. Integrity and Professionalism: The responsibility and trust placed in GACE by supporters, volunteers, partners, and the public must be earned every day. GACE will exercise the highest ethical and professional standards in all of its endeavors, provide self-evaluation and solicit feedback on progress, and be held accountable for results.
2. Commitment to People: Success in achieving our vision and mission depends upon the people of GACE. Our organizational culture must encourage individuals to achieve their potential, value their contributions, and provide opportunities to improve personal skills and knowledge through training and education.
3. Innovation and Resourcefulness: To accomplish our goals requires vision, resourcefulness, a responsible entrepreneurial spirit, and adaptability to change. We encourage Innovative ideas that lead to practical applications grounded in credible knowledge and experience.
4. Effective Partnerships: Success relies on constructive and productive partnerships with a wide variety of individuals and organizations.

Our Strategic Goals

We have defined a strategic intent to identify a major direction to orient organizational efforts. Objectives specify some achievement points along the way that will serve as measures of success. GACE has chosen the following four strategic intents to enhance organizational capabilities and programs.

1. Develop and implement community programs that reflect our values and mission in our communities in Africa.

2. Focus on programs that address at least two of our special concerns (fair trade, gender equality, education and the environment) and that can be realistically achieved with our resources and means.

3. Work with other organizations and individuals across the globe who share our goals and values.

4. Serve as a model for other African and global organizations who wish to empower their communities.