Welcome

The children of Africa are the interdisciplinary focus of the Institute for the African Child at Ohio University. We seek to promote research, teaching, and service that consider children in the process of the African continent’s socio-economic development. Children are Africa’s most marginalized population group and a resource in need of the world’s attention.

The Institute for the African Child expands the conversation among African Studies scholars to include Ohio University’s Colleges of Communicaton, Education, Health and Human Services, and Osteopathic Medicine. The study of Africa has had a home at Ohio University for almost four decades, and now we are applying our knowledge- in cooperation with African institutions and scholars- to Africa’s most compelling challenge, the future of her children.

There are clearly no one-dimensional problems in child survival and youth issues in Africa. The intent of the Institute for the African Child is to provide new interdisciplinary leadership for conferences, fellowships, collaborative research and teaching, that will lead to better living standards for the children of Africa. The African child is at once a niche of concern that has an emotional impact, and entrée to the wider issues of the survival of African women, families, communities and states. Our concern reaches the children of Africa’s Diaspora as well in the context of the health-education-information nexus.

Recent Institute Activities

African Educational Research Network (AERN) Conference
June 15-17, 2006
The Institute for the African Child in conjunction with the College of Education and Ohio University Libraries sponsered the conference themed, "Issues in African Education Research."

New Assistant Director Joins the Institute
Ghirmai Negash recently joined the Institute of the African Child as Assistant Director.. learn more