OCI is dedicated to the principle of providing service and support to help the community, the nation, and the world. At present, we actively support educational scholarship programs, and we provide training to African nations on how to obtain grant funds from the U.S. Government to support their critical programs.
Scholarship Programs
OCI strongly believes in helping the disadvantaged gain access to a quality education. We believe in the adage, "If you give a man a fish, this helps him eat dinner. But if you teach a man to fish, this helps him make a living."
College of William and Mary Scholarship
Annually, OCI sponsors a full scholarship at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The scholarship was established in 2007.
Uganda Scholarship Program
OCI sponsors a scholarship program in Kampala, the capitol of Uganda. This program provides educational opportunities for children who cannot attend school without outside assistance. The program began in the winter of 2010, and provides funds sufficient for 45 school age children to attend various private schools.
African Grant Training Program
OCI provides training programs in grant preparation skills in various African nations. This training provides Africans the skills to prepare grant proposals that will succeed in securing funds from U.S. government aid programs. These grant funds support vital programs that can often mean life or death for African citizens. Training seminars have been held in Kampala, Uganda; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Lusaka, Zambia. OCI intends to extend the program to other African nations in the future. The seminar attendees include civil servants who work in African government ministries aided by U.S. funds, and program managers from Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) who help administer the programs.
OCI’s most recent seminars were held in Lusaka, Zambia on February 15th, 2011, and Johannesburg, South Africa on February 19th, 2001. OCI president Russell Smith provided seminars on improved grant writing techniques.