The Phindiwe Business Academy
Building financial fluency, access, and independence in an underrepresented generation of young women
Giving Young African Women the Power to Succeed
A basic education isn’t usually enough to get ahead in life. To prosper professionally (and therefore financially), it’s crucial that one receive specialized training so they’re prepared to succeed in their desired field. This is especially critical in countries like Africa where so many girls are never given the opportunity to learn essential job skills.
This unfortunate reality can lead to a powerless existence. Many African girls end up in bad situations - forced into unwanted marriages, subjected to child labor, used and abused as a result of being trafficked, or left to fend for themselves in unsafe environments.
The Phindiwe Business Academy seeks to turn the tide for young African women. Founded in 2021 by Tuesday P. Brooks, a successful entrepreneur and owner of financial management firm AJOY, the academy exists to provide young African women with a way to build their financial fluency, business proficiency, work experience, and confidence. With the help of generous donors like you and monthly financial contributions from AJOY, the program supplies girls with the skills and training they need to build bright futures for themselves and their families.
Empowering a Generation of Beloved Daughters
The middle name of the founder, Phindiwe, means “second beloved daughter” in the South African language of Xhosa, and that’s exactly how the academy views its students - as beloved daughters who should be nurtured, shaped, taught, and empowered. The primary goal is for them to graduate from the program not only with the technical skills and knowledge necessary to become future bookkeepers and accountants but also as confident leaders who are full of hope and prepared to succeed both personally and professionally.
For as we teach these young African women to value education in their own lives, they will surely prioritize it for their own children one day - thereby empowering their own daughters while also showing their sons what it looks like to treat women with dignity and equity. And therein lies the beauty of The Phindiwe Business Academy - it creates real and lasting change one graduate at a time, the reverberations of which will undoubtedly be felt for generations to come.
Fostering Financial Fluency and Freedom
The Phindiwe Business Academy provides impactful and practical education and resources to young African women who are interested in business and finance. The rewarding, supportive, and educational program that the girls experience - with the promise of gainful work opportunities after graduation - is facilitated by the US-based AJOY, a financial management firm established in 2009 that is committed to improving the profitability of micro and small business enterprises while also fostering the exponential growth of financially-sound, women-led businesses across the US and around the world. AJOY’s founder, Tuesday Phindiwe Brooks, has leveraged her 25-year professional and educational background, including a master’s degree in education, ProAdvisor certification in QuickBooks Online (QBO), and trainer status with Intuit and other national organizations, to create a concretely structured and highly effective educational program for the students of The Phindiwe Business Academy that instills confidence, encourages independence, and develops financial competency.
In addition, the academy establishes strategic partnerships to further ensure the success and entrepreneurial growth of all its graduates. Current partners include Tamara Horton of Studio Samuel Foundation in Ethiopia and professional Kenyan athlete, Grace Kahura. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to be involved with the program in this capacity.
Your Support Makes a Big Difference
We are truly passionate about building financial fluency and professional competency in young African women to give them a chance at a better future. Your support is critical in helping us provide the necessary resources for these young women to succeed. By donating to The Phindiwe Business Academy, you can help us create more opportunities for our students to become financially independent so they can pursue their dreams. Consider joining AJOY today in contributing monetarily to the academy so it can flourish and continue to cultivate strong, well-educated African women. Together, we can make a real impact in the lives of these remarkable young women.