This is a story about strategy, purpose, and leadership that refuses to compromise.
Amdani Juma, founder of the African Institute for Social Development, is not interested in sympathy. He’s interested in results. From community organising in Nottingham to national HIV campaigns and international mentorship, Amdani has built a legacy that is transforming lives — without ever losing sight of his values.
A Leader Who Builds — and Builds Others
Amdani’s journey from East Africa to the East Midlands is shaped by resilience. He arrived in the UK in 2003, already with experience volunteering for the Red Cross and the UNHCR. When early jobs failed to inspire him, he chose a different path: one grounded in people, not machines.
“I realised I was more interested in rebuilding people than fixing sockets,” he recalls.
That clarity led to the creation of the African Institute in 2007 — a response to two pressing needs: HIV prevention in the African community, and the widespread failure to recognise migrants’ qualifications and potential.
Not Just Another Charity
From day one, the African Institute has been unapologetically African-led. It supports individuals and families, trains leaders, partners with local institutions, and delivers vital health and advocacy services. Its influence stretches far beyond Nottingham — but it has never abandoned its roots.
“We’ve kept our identity — and that matters,” Amdani says. “It would have been easier to grow by diluting who we are. But we chose integrity over convenience.”
This decision hasn’t come without trade-offs. Lack of core funding. An eviction from their long-term home. The challenge of running a full-time charity while holding another job. But Amdani doesn’t frame this as defeat — only unfinished work.
A Strategic Force in a Changing Landscape
Today, the African Institute is part of Power to Prosper, a coalition of minority-led organisations pushing for structural change. They’re not just addressing poverty or inequality. They’re redesigning how communities organise, fund, and sustain themselves.
They’ve launched a men’s mental health group, built youth leadership programmes, and supported women’s networks. They’ve embedded their approach in mosques, churches, and cultural hubs. And they’re training a new generation of leaders to take the work further.
“We’re not waiting for handouts,” Amdani explains. “We’re creating models that will outlast us.”
Networked, Nimble, and Necessary
One of the Institute’s greatest strengths is its network. With over 40 communities connected through its work, the organisation is known for amplifying others — launching campaigns, mentoring emerging leaders, and helping groups establish their own base.
It has always operated with a mindset of abundance, not scarcity. But now, Amdani is clear that the time has come to invest inward as well.
“For years, we focused on helping others grow. Now we’re making space to grow ourselves.”
A Vision for Power, Not Pity
Amdani doesn’t speak the language of deficits. His vision is rooted in self-determination, prosperity, and strategic leadership.
“We don’t want to be treated as victims — because we’re not,” he says. “We’re contributors. Builders. Innovators. And we want to be seen that way.”
The goal is not just to run a service — but to inspire a new generation of African-led institutions that are financially stable, community-owned, and future-facing.
Looking Ahead
The African Institute’s next phase is about sustainability: employing a full-time team, securing a permanent home, building a financial endowment, and deepening its influence locally and nationally.
It’s about creating a structure where the next generation — born here, confident, and connected — can lead without having to start from scratch.
And if that sounds ambitious, it’s because it is. Amdani wouldn’t have it any other way.