LOLA went to Africa! Recently, we sent one of our LOLA staffers, Anne Dias, who leads our Chapter Program efforts, to Nairobi, Kenya, to support on-the-ground efforts in this region and speak at the She Leads conference held by Students for Liberty.

LOLA has been able to give personalized and in-person support to chapter leaders across all our regions except for Africa due to the pandemic as well as financial and travel restrictions. This year, thanks to increased support from our donors and the opportunity provided by SFL, we were able to make it happen! The event was organized by some important leaders from SFL and LOLA, such as our regional leader, Winfred Nduai, and our Burundi Chapter Leader, Monia Wakana, who played a vital role in making the event happen. 

The trip’s goal was to work with and learn from all our amazing leaders and better understand the region’s needs. The event offered several training sessions for the selected leaders, such as Introduction to Liberty and Free Market Ideas, Mastering the Art of Successful Fundraising, Digital Marketing, and Online Branding.

The workshop, a collaboration between Students For Liberty, LOLA, and the Atlas Network, trained and empowered 20 African leaders from over ten countries to become better leaders for their countries and advocates for the principles of liberty. Six LOLA leaders participated in the workshop, and now we’re exploring the possibility of opening six new chapters in Uganda, Moçambique, South Sudan, and more. 

Additionally, during the event, the LOLA Africa team analyzed the main challenges and motivations for 2024. They formed a board that will contribute to the region’s leadership in the upcoming year. The board is structured into communication, events, partnerships, and training.

Anne was chosen to represent LOLA at the event due to her crucial role in one of our key regions: Brazil. She is the president of the Brazilian region, where we have 22 LOLA chapters, over 600 LOLA members, and the organization of more than 70 events in 2023 when she assumed the presidency. With her experience in management, mobilization, and planning, her in-person supporting the region will be immensely beneficial, helping leaders develop more effective strategies for the region’s growth.

LOLA is thrilled to be working in Africa in 2024, and we can’t wait to see what our amazing Chapter Leaders and Members achieve!