Atheism United sponsored Six African atheists in January 2024. They donated $720 - of that, $620 was delivered to recipients, $60 was given to Saliu Olumide Saheed (African Humanist Director & facilitator of this project) and $40 was spent on wiring and banking transaction fees.
Adebayo Tomiwa of Nigeria received $150 for a laptop.
He says, “I'm atheist and non-religious because I believe this is the only life I have. I make sense of the world through logic, reason and evidence. I'm a graphic designer, but unable to work from home due to lack of laptop and printer. Which is really affecting me financially and professionally.”
email: adebayoolatomiwa784@gmail.com
$100 to Liya Alazar in Ethiopia for Hospital Bills
She says, “Atheism is a joyous alternative to religions that believe in a supernatural god and life in the hereafter. Atheists believe this is the only life of which we have certain knowledge and that we owe it to ourselves and others to make it the best life possible for ourselves and all with whom we share this fragile planet. A belief that when people are free to think for themselves, using reason and knowledge as their tools, they are best able to solve this world’s problems. An appreciation of the art, literature, music and crafts that are our heritage from the past and of the creativity that, if nourished, can continuously enrich our lives. Atheists take responsibility for their own lives and relish the adventure of being part of new discoveries, seeking new knowledge, exploring new options. Instead of finding solace in prefabricated answers to the great questions of life, they enjoy the open-ended quest and freedom of discovery that this entails.
I currently require a $100 grant to cover essential medical expenses for my ulcer treatment. The funds would be allocated towards prescribed medications, doctor consultations, and necessary tests, ensuring timely and effective management of my health condition. Your support will significantly contribute to my well-being, allowing me to address the medical challenges I am facing and maintain a healthier lifestyle. I appreciate your consideration and assistance in alleviating the financial burden associated with my ulcer treatment.”
Abdullahi Muhammad Jidda received $100 for school tuition, food, & a bicycle to ride to school. He lives in Gashua, Yobe State, northern Nigeria.
He says, “Since childhood, I had a skeptical mind towards religion but my upbringing in a deeply religious family influenced me into identifying as a faithful Muslim until a course I took in college in the year 2017 rekindled my skepticism. The course is titled "Selected European Authors". In search for extra-materials to broaden my understanding of the course, I stumbled upon philosopherssuch as Democratus and Russell and they led me to an epiphany that made things got nasty and kept me depressed for three years before I finally moved on and accepted the obvious: things may never be the same for me again. It was the first time I heard my parents said, they wished they hadn't given birth to me.
Since I came out, my family denied me emotional, educational, financial and social support. Since they blame everything I have become on my education, their emphasis upon discouraging, and even terminating my education becomes a priority. This then becomes a direct threat to my ambition of getting a better education with which I hope to bag a job in southern part of the country one day if I relocate after graduation in search of a neutral environment as opposed to the north where radical islamism is the order of the day. As a result, I put hard work and started a bachelor's degree in Federal University Gashua and now there is a-25% increase in school fees due to the current situation of inflation in Nigeria.
I am a member of Humanist Association of Nigeria and my Facebook handle, "Hell Candidate,"is an allusion to what my parents called me after denouncing Islam and becoming an atheist.”
$100 to Gondo Tendai in Zimbabwe. She wants funding for her A Level exams certification. This will give her the opportunity to study journalism and fight for women's rights in her local village of Nkayi.
I discovered I was an atheist and humanist in my teenage years. Zimbabwe is a ruthless patriarch society. I grew up to witness women being subjected to all kinds of inhumane treatments. They don’t have equal pay, they don’t enjoy the option of divorce and they have very little say in All decisions made that affect their lives. The writings of Nawal el Saadawi the Egyptian feminist and also maya Angelou made me understand that religion and culture are the two greatest enemies of women in today’s world. I left my religion and the belief in all God(s) while also discarding all non-progressive values that are found in our culture and I have been locally writing against it. Humanism is a safe spot for women and when widely adopted in society it can help women reach their full potential. It allows women to be fully represented in government and allows them to have decisions in the areas of life that affect them. Humanism can create a world where women through reason, logic and science can contribute equally to men and even more ambitiously change the world exponentially than we currently have.”
$100 for Mohammed Mustapha in Niger State, Nigeria, for him to get his own place and pay rent.
He says, “I am a 28 years humanist/atheist from Niger state. I want to live a life away from my family because of the challenges that my lack of prayers and following the Islam values I face here at home. I will use the money to get a room for myself and to find time to look for a job. Help me pay for a house rent.
He says, “Being a humanist/atheist made me accept myself more, that the way I was and the regret I had felt for the things I could not change that religion did not explain to me.”
$100 to Dembe Namazzi in Uganda for her Hormone Imbalance treatments.
She says, “My Hormonal Imbalance Issues are causing me incessant menstrual flow, which could lead to infertility, because I have been married for 4 years, but I haven’t conceived. So I need the money for the hormonal imbalance treatment and hospital visitations so as to be free from this health challenge.
I am a godless person, atheist and belong to no religion. In November 14 2021, I joined many Ugandans to attend the virtual conference hosted by center for inquiry (CFI) and Kato Mukasa in Uganda. The theme of the talk was mind, brain and thought; where Kato espouse in details how religion has been a major force in promoting mental slavery, colonialism and imperialism in Africa. I now believe we can progress using science, logic, and education. Religious dogmas can never be a substitute for demonstrable evidence.”
$60 was given to Saliu Olumide Saheed, the African Humanist Director and facilitator of this project. He is also the director of the Minna Safe House in Nigeria, and the Tai Solarin Humanist School.