African-Hungarian Union

The African-Hungarian Union (AHU), known in Hungarian as Magyar Afrika Társaság, is a Budapest-based non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 2006 by businessman Balogh Sándor and ten other private individuals at the first Szerencs Summit Conference. The association was officially registered on 3 January 2007. Since then, dozens of people involved with Africa — scholars, businesspeople, diplomats and musicians — have joined its work. The AHU organizes long-term support programs for severely disadvantaged social groups and minorities in Africa. It has launched programs in more than ten African countries, including Angola, Ethiopia, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania and Uganda. Its medical missions have involved dozens of Hungarian volunteer health professionals who have reached tens of thousands of patients, for example in the Kiwanja refugee camp (Congo), Bamako (Mali), the Los Islands (Guinea), Antsirabe (Madagascar), Mbale (Uganda), around Blantyre (Malawi), and in villages where healthcare is entirely absent or hard to access. The AHU also supports schools and social institutions in Ethiopia, Mali and Uganda, and is a professional partner of several rallies. During rallies such as Budapest–Bamako and Saharun, the organization delivers several tons of donations each year to educational, social and healthcare institutions across Africa. Since its founding, the AHU has been the largest supporter of Hungarian Africa affairs in Hungary. It is a recurring supporter and sponsor of educational and scientific expeditions, exhibitions, artistic activities, book publishing and awareness-raising programs. The organization is an active member of the Hungarian and European civil sector dealing with Africa, participating in awareness-raising and advocacy programs in Hungary. The AHU is today Hungary's largest Africa-focused media player: it runs Africa-themed radio programs (Gazdasági Rádió – Beszállókártya a Harmadik Világ Üzleteibe, Poptarisznya) and several websites (www.ahu.hu, www.afrikatudastar.hu), and regularly issues newsletters. Uniquely and in a gap-filling way in Hungary, the association contributes to the publication of Africa-specific fresh news in cooperation with the globoport.hu news portal, GloboTv and Tropical Magazin. In addition, the organization works with numerous independent audiovisual projects. The AHU seeks to promote and support as many attention-raising Africa-related initiatives and events as possible (cultural-educational projects, expeditions, exhibitions) in Hungary. The organization considers it important to make Hungarian society aware that, in the spirit of global social responsibility, what happens in Africa today affects us too, and therefore the continent's successes and problems cannot leave us indifferent. The AHU is a member of the International Humanitarian and Civil Development Alliance (HAND) and numerous other domestic and international forums.

The African-Hungarian Union (AHU), in Hungarian Magyar Afrika Társaság, was founded in 2006 by businessman Balogh Sándor and ten other private individuals at the first Szerencs Summit Conference. The association was officially registered on 3 January 2007. Since then, dozens of people involved with Africa — scholars, businesspeople, diplomats and musicians — have joined its work. In 2007, already in its year of registration, the association actively began its work, participating among other things in the organization of African cultural events: the Miss Afro beauty contest, Africa Day and the Szerencs Summit Conference. In 2008, the range of projects aimed at helping African people in need expanded further. New aid actions were launched in Kenya, Uganda and Mali, and on the occasion of the Budapest–Bamako Rally, members of the AHU team supported a well drilling in El-Gheddiya, Mauritania. Under the AHU's care, the book "A háború gyermekei: Gyermekanyák és gyermekkatonák a Nagy Tavak vidékén" (Children of War: Child Mothers and Child Soldiers in the Great Lakes Region) was published. AfriCafe, Radiocafé 98.6's Africa-themed program, was launched. In February 2009, the association's Children of War Aid Action was launched, in the framework of which Hungarian volunteer doctors worked in the Kiwanja refugee camp in eastern Congo and, by operating a mobile clinic, also reached surrounding remote villages. In the five four-week missions, 14 volunteer doctors provided free healthcare to more than 15,000 patients. The AHU was the main sponsor of the "In the footsteps of Emil Torday" expedition to Congo in 2009. In 2010, the association, as the official partner of the Budapest-Bamako Rally organizing office, organized the race's humanitarian program, in the framework of which it delivered a 20-ton truck full of targeted donations to educational, healthcare and social institutions in Morocco, Mauritania and Mali. The Mali humanitarian mission was launched, which...

• 2010

  As official partner of the Budapest-Bamako Rally, organized its humanitarian program, delivering a 20-ton truck of donations to Morocco, Mauritania and Mali; launched the Mali humanitarian mission.

• 2009

  Launched the Children of War Aid Action; 14 volunteer doctors provided free healthcare to over 15,000 patients in five missions; main sponsor of the "In the footsteps of Emil Torday" expedition.

• 2008

  New aid actions in Kenya, Uganda and Mali; supported a well drilling in El-Gheddiya, Mauritania; published "Children of War"; launched AfriCafe radio program.

• 2007

  Officially registered on 3 January; began organizing African cultural events such as Miss Afro, Africa Day and the Szerencs Summit Conference.

• 2006

  Founded by Balogh Sándor and ten other private individuals at the first Szerencs Summit Conference.

Non-profit NGO focused on international development, aid and African-Hungarian cultural relations.

1. 1Magyar Afrika Társaságahu.hu
2. 2African-Hungarian Unionwikidata.org
3. 3Magyar Afrika Társasághu.wikipedia.org