Africa Faith and Justice Network

What Africa Faith and Justice Network does

Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) is a Catholic faith-based advocacy non-profit founded in 1983 and incorporated in 1989 in Washington, DC, operating under the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) IRS group ruling. AFJN functions as a non-partisan coalition of 32 US-based Catholic religious communities of men and women, plus individuals, that educates and advocates for just US-Africa relations across issues including corruption, women's empowerment, economic justice, conflict resolution, debt justice, and care for creation. Its primary constituencies are US Catholic religious communities, African civil society organizations (with country chapters AFJN-Nigeria and AFJN-Ghana), US policymakers, and the African diplomatic corps.

AFJN's programmatic offering centers on two core focus campaigns: the Women's Empowerment Project (WEP), which builds coalitions of African Women Religious to address poverty and dignity, and the Africa Church Together Against Corruption (ACT) Project, a three-year initiative mobilizing Church leaders against corruption in Church-run social services in Cameroon, Liberia, and Ghana. Newer initiatives include the Jubilee Year of Hope debt justice campaign (in partnership with Caritas Internationalis) and the annual Day of Service program launched in 2025. There is no proprietary technology product; AFJN's "platform" is its coalition network, advocacy campaigns, Washington DC event programming, eBulletins distributed via Constant Contact, and social media presence on Facebook, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

AFJN is sustained through grants (notably from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation), individual and congregational donations, and member contributions. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization runs with a small staff of 1–10 supplemented by seasonal interns, and its distribution model relies on grassroots advocacy campaigns, direct policy engagement with Congress and the Executive Branch, coalition co-hosting of public events and webinars, and earned media coverage in outlets such as Notre Dame Catholic Media and Premium Times. AFJN holds a GuideStar Transparency Seal and maintains good standing with USCCB and listing in the Official Catholic Directory.

Name

Africa Faith and Justice Network

Legal name

Africa Faith and Justice Network

Website

https://afjn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Africa Faith and Justice Network is a Catholic faith-based advocacy coalition of 32 US religious communities that educates and lobbies on just US-Africa relations, operating programs on women's empowerment, anti-corruption, and debt justice from Washington, DC, and funded primarily through grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit advocacy and social-justice programming

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Democracy, Human Rights & Governance Assistance (BPADABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF), Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

Keywords

• Faith-based advocacy
• Social justice programs
• Africa-US relations
• Policy education
• Coalition building

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: AFJN receives grants for their Women's Empowerment and Africa Church Together Against Corruption Projects. The organization accepts donations from individuals and congregations. As a Catholic non-profit organization under USCCB IRS group ruling, they rely on charitable contributions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AFJN educates and advocates on Africa-US policy, justice, and governance through faith-based programs led by coalitions of US religious communities and African in-country chapters. Its core programs are the Women's Empowerment Project (WEP), the Africa Church Together Against Corruption (ACT) Project, and the Jubilee Year of Hope Campaign, supported by policy advocacy, events, eBulletins, and grassroots organizing.

Product overview

Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) is a faith-based advocacy organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of advocacy campaigns and programs rather than software products. The core programs include the Women's Empowerment Project (WEP) which supports African Women Religious in social justice work, and the Africa Church Together Against Corruption (ACT) Project addressing corruption in Church-run services across Cameroon, Liberia, and Ghana. Additional initiatives include the Jubilee Year of Hope Campaign for debt justice and the Day of Service community outreach program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AFJN: Acronym for Africa Faith and Justice Network used throughout communications and branding
• Women Empowerment Project (WEP)
• ACT Project

Products and services

• Women's Empowerment Project (WEP) A project that assists African Women religious in shaping a new vision of their role in society by working to change the structures that keep people in poverty and deprive them of their dignity, building and strengthening a coalition of African Women Religious at local, regional, and continental levels to work for social justice. Implementation has been ongoing in Nigeria since 2016 and extended to Ghana, including skills development initiatives such as electrical wiring training in partnership with AVERU PAWA Electrical Works.
• Africa Church Together Against Corruption (ACT) Project A three-year project that mobilizes Church leaders to fight corruption and promote just governance in Cameroon, Liberia, and Ghana, addressing corruption in Church-run social services including hospitals, medical facilities, and schools, in collaboration with local dioceses and communities to facilitate anti-corruption programs.
• Jubilee Year of Hope Campaign A global advocacy campaign for debt justice and transformative financial reforms, joining Caritas Internationalis in the 'Turn Debt into Hope' campaign inspired by Pope Francis' message of solidarity to bring renewed hope to communities burdened by unsustainable debt.
• AFJN Membership Program Coalition membership offering for individuals and congregations to join the AFJN network, providing resources, updates, and opportunities to participate in advocacy campaigns on US-Africa relations.
• AFJN Internship Program Seasonal internship cohorts (summer, fall, spring) bringing university students from across the US to AFJN's Washington, DC headquarters to engage in advocacy work, typically culminating in the Day of Service initiative.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dominicans for Justice and Peace at the United NationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026AFJN partnered with Dominicans for Justice and Peace at the UN for a press conference in Abuja calling for women's political inclusion ahead of Nigeria's 2027 election. This coalition of faith-based organizations advocated for urgent political reforms.
• AFJN-NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026AFJN-Nigeria is a key partner organization that has been working on empowering women religious in Nigeria since 2016 through the Women Empowerment Project. They co-hosted the Abuja press conference on women's political inclusion.
• Caritas InternationaliscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AFJN joined Caritas Internationalis for the Jubilee 2025 'Turn Debt into Hope' campaign, a global call for debt justice and transformative financial reforms. This partnership connects AFJN to a worldwide Catholic charitable network advocating for communities burdened by unsustainable debt.
• Maryknoll's Office for Global ConcernscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AFJN works with Maryknoll's Office for Global Concerns on the Jubilee Year of Hope campaign. AFJN Executive Director Dr. Steven Rogers co-authored the final statement for the Convocation on Climate and Hunger featuring over 60 faith-based organizations.
• Jubilee USA NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AFJN collaborates with Jubilee USA Network on the Jubilee Year of Hope campaign advocating for debt justice and financial reforms to bring renewed hope to communities.
• Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983The Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) was one of three founding Catholic missionary congregations that established AFJN in 1983, moved to action by their personal experiences in Africa.
• Missionaries of AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Missionaries of Africa was one of three founding Catholic missionary congregations that established AFJN in 1983, driven by experiences in Africa and desire to transform US policy towards Africa.
• Society of African MissionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Society of African Missions was one of three founding Catholic missionary congregations that established AFJN in 1983, wanting to advocate for just US-Africa relations.
• US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFJN is incorporated under the USCCB IRS group ruling and maintains good standing under USCCB. They released a joint statement with SECAM on international assistance and solidarity between US and African bishops and faithful.
• Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSECAM collaborated with USCCB and AFJN on a joint statement 'Brothers and Sisters in Hope: International Assistance and Mutual Solidarity between the Bishops and the Faithful of the United States and Africa' released February 2026.
• Advocacy Network for Africa (AdNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFJN and AdNA co-hosted the event 'The 2026 Ebola Outbreak – Understanding the Crisis' in June 2026. This is an ongoing partnership for advocacy and education on African issues.
• AFJN-GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFJN-Ghana is a country chapter implementing the Women Empowerment Project in Ghana, including initiatives on ending child marriage and domestic servitude in the Northern Region.
• AVERU PAWA Electrical WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFJN-Ghana partnered with AVERU PAWA Electrical Works to provide electrical wiring training to girls as part of the Women Empowerment Project's skills development initiatives.
• Dominican Sisters of PeacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican Sisters of Peace supported AFJN with funds for youth advocacy training workshops in Jos, Nigeria, focusing on non-violence approach to conflict resolution.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice: Washington, DC-based Catholic lobbying organization focused on social justice policy in the US. Operates with comparable mission rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and engages US Congress on justice issues, making it a close functional peer to AFJN's advocacy work.
• Jubilee USA Network: An interfaith coalition advocating for debt justice and equitable financial reform. AFJN explicitly partners with Jubilee USA on the Jubilee Year of Hope 'Turn Debt into Hope' campaign, making them a directly comparable advocacy peer around shared debt and economic justice themes.
• Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns: Catholic mission advocacy office engaging US policymakers on global justice issues. Collaborates with AFJN on the Jubilee Year of Hope and co-authored the Convocation on Climate and Hunger statement, positioning them as a closely aligned faith-based policy advocacy peer.
• Pax Christi USA: A Catholic peace and justice movement working on conflict resolution, human rights, and global advocacy. Shares the faith-based justice framing and grassroots mobilization model that defines AFJN's work, particularly in conflict resolution and restorative justice themes.
• Churches for Middle East Peace: A Washington, DC-based ecumenical coalition advocating for peaceful resolution to conflicts and just US policy in a specific region. Uses a near-identical coalition of religious communities lobbying the US government, making CMEP a strong functional peer to AFJN's regional advocacy model.
• Africa Action: A US-based advocacy organization historically focused on Africa policy, debt, and governance issues. Operates with a similar US-to-Africa policy advocacy orientation that overlaps with AFJN's core focus on US-Africa relations and economic justice.
• Advocacy Network for Africa (AdNA): A national Africa-focused advocacy coalition based in the US. Co-hosts AFJN events (e.g., the 2026 Ebola outbreak briefing) and operates with similar outreach to US policymakers on African issues, making it a directly comparable coalition peer.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Relief Services (CRS): The US Catholic Church's official international humanitarian agency. Far larger and operationally focused on direct service delivery rather than advocacy, CRS nonetheless shares AFJN's Catholic Social Teaching grounding and Africa operating geography, making it a relevant broader incumbent reference.
• Sojourners: A larger evangelical Christian social justice organization with broad domestic and international advocacy. While not Africa-specific, it operates a similar faith-rooted policy advocacy model around justice and governance issues, placing it as a broader incumbent in the same social advocacy space as AFJN.
• Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL): A Quaker faith-based lobbying organization focused on peace, justice, and human rights. Engages US Congress on similar policy areas (human rights, economic justice) using a faith-rooted coalition model analogous to AFJN's approach, but at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AFJN_DC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaN9OAPw11h9HXzpUOWTSqg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AFJNDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afjn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Africa Faith and Justice Network