Minnesota Africans United

Minnesota Africans United (MAU) focuses on the well-being of the local African immigrant community. 

MAU is an umbrella nonprofit organization serving an immigrant community that has grown to more than 100,000 in recent years. Minnesota's African immigrants come from nearly every nation on the continent. They come with the skills, education, and drive to contribute to the state’s well-being, economically, culturally, and as engaged, tax-paying citizens. 

MAU helps Africans overcome hurdles 

Africans emigrating to Minnesota face many hurdles. Many come with advanced education degrees, which are not sometimes recognized by local educational institutions. African immigrants must often receive additional education and licensing before entering the state workforce in their chosen profession. 

 African immigrants also struggle to access healthcare, housing, and the capital and knowledge to start their businesses. 

How MAU helps close the opportunity gap 

We help African immigrants overcome the barriers they face in Minnesota in several key ways: 

• Having workforce initiatives to assist immigrants in finding good-paying jobs 
• Promoting business development including how to start one’s own business 
• Providing needed digital and technology training, including for youth 
• Assisting with access to higher education including accessing scholarships 
• Assisting in accessing needed healthcare  
• Promoting trade and investment between Minnesota and Africa 
• Assisting with real estate investment including home ownership 
• Promoting agriculture and agribusiness in both Minnesota and Africa 

Our History 

In 2017, local leaders from Somalia, Cameroon, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo gathered at North Hennepin Community College. They identified the challenges facing Minnesota’s African immigrants and the needs of the African continent. The leaders engaged themselves around the idea of closing opportunity gaps for African immigrant populations living in Minnesota. Then they brought their voices to the Minnesota State Legislature, the Governor’s office, state agencies, corporate America, city councils, and counties. Minnesota Africans United was born. MAU is now a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registered and reporting to the Minnesota Attorney General. 

MAU Leadership & Board 

Mr. Basil Ajuo, CEO 

Mrs. Nelima Sitati Numene, Founding Board Chair / Executive Director of African Career Resource and Education, Inc. (ACER) 

Mr. Mark Ritchie, Board Secretary / EXPO US Co-Founder, Former Minnesota Secretary of State 

Dr. Daniel Abebe, Co-Founder and Board Member / Dean & Faculty Member of Metropolitan State University 

Mr. Ibuchwa Kisongo, Co-Founder and Board Member / Director of Public Safety at Northern Hennepin Community College 

Mr. Yao Shi, Board Treasurer / Commercial Real Estate Underwriting Manager, U.S. Bank 

MAU’s Impact in 2024

• Helped African immigrants launch 64 new businesses putting more than 3000 hours into mentorship and technical assistance  
• Helped 18 African youth and adults in workforce development skills through digital training classes 
• Helped 200 African immigrants secure employment 
• Helped 16 African families buy new homes 
• Had a 12-person delegation to Minnesota FarmFest 2024 
• Had representation at the US-African Summit in Minnesota 
• Hosted 12 vaccination clinics, reaching 500 people 

Thank you for supporting Minnesota Africans through your gift to Minnesota Africans United! 

Generous donors like you, grants, and corporate sponsors help us close the opportunity gaps facing Minnesota’s growing African population. 

Special thanks to Best Buy Foundation, J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund, Target Foundation, Seeding the Future Foundation, Bremer Bank, World’s Fair Bid Education Fund, The Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, US Bank, and many other corporations, individual donors, schools, and colleges for their financial support of Minnesota Africans United. 

 Minnesota Africans United also benefits from the generous in-kind support of SCORE, Ovative Group, Metro State University, and many individual volunteers.