The AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation (registered in Nigeria as “African Trust Funds Entrepreneurial Development“) is a German based autonomous and charitable foundation developed to support micro and small businesses and the rising middle class in developing and emerging nations. Set up in 2003 by members of the Confederation of Catholic Entrepreneurs (BKU) and its network, the Foundation grew out of the BKU’s joint initiative “Afrika Fonds für Selbständigkeit” (Africa Fund for Autonomy) (AFOS) with the Catholic aid organizations MISEREOR and Kolping International.

AFOS Foundation promotes access to micro financing and financial services, vocational training, advice on product development, marketing and quality assurance. Founded upon the principles of subsidiarity, human dignity, the common good and solidarity, AFOS Foundation strives to assist entrepreneurial activities locally and awaken the forces inherent in people everywhere enabling them to share in the productivity models developed in the “West” and so qualify them to generate their own wealth because responsible entrepreneurs are the best development workers. Guided by Christian social ethics and self-help, the Foundation is combatting the causes of flight by means of economic development cooperation to “help people to help themselves” We are convinced, that entrepreneurial initiative generates value, creates stable and sustainable incomes and workplaces – and is development

AFOS Foundation funds its activities with private donations and public grants, particularly from the Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).