Reigniting the Harvards of Africa

In a previous post, I discussed my disillusion with African Universities which had once been the pinnacle of esteem. In recent decades, however, African Universities have taken a drastic decline due to lack of funding and resources at the expense of the student body, faculty, and infrastructure. Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, which onces boasted a rich history and scholarship is now plagued with logistical and technical issues inherently linked to a lack of funding and government support.
I have always advocated partnerships with more lucrative bodies, whether or not they may be Western organizations or donors. However, I have always asserted that these partnerships should not weaken or erase the true spirit and relevance of African education, which is deep rooted in the culture and way of life of its people. For this reason, I have been a critic of Abti-American University of Nigeria's structure.
But alas, Harvard University alumni have formed an organization they call Harvard Alumni for Social Action, which dedicates its efforts to supporting African universities. The beauty in this partnership is that these group of alumni realize the potential reached and that still lies in African Universities, as well as the abundance of resources available within their network and have made it their goal to raise African Universities to a standard that they themselves once upheld. Currently, their funding is focused on the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and based on the information provided in their fact sheet, I would say that their impact is beneficial and sustainable