Mwangaza Africa was born from a vision to address the educational and social challenges facing vulnerable children and women in refugee communities. Uganda has long been a host to refugees, particularly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with many displaced by conflict. By 2019, over half of the refugee populations were children, most of who were out of school due to economic hardships.

Recognizing the urgent need to empower these communities, Jonathan Djumbe established Mwangaza Africa as a non-political, non-denominational organization focused on education and women’s empowerment.