G’day John!

I know that today is the biggest shopping day of the year, and you probably have some purchases on your mind—nothing wrong with that. I’m hoping this email will challenge you to think beyond your next cart, because I think I have a more durable idea to sell you—investing in freedom in the long term.

If you buy a television today, how long is that going to last? Five years? Ten? What if I told you that if twenty people invested the cost of a Black Friday television in one country, they could permanently alter their course for good? I know it doesn’t feel like your dollar does much these days, but hear me out.

I recently learned an astonishing fact: Africa is the world’s youngest continent. Home to 1.2 billion people, the median age in Africa is only 18—not even old enough to buy a pint here in the States. These factors make the African continent a key battleground for ideas as the world becomes more connected.

There’s no shortage of bad ideas in the world, and Africa has hosted its share—Marxism, authoritarianism, and religious extremism can all be found in the region, creating all sorts of global security challenges and barriers to economic success for Africans. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was someone spreading good ideas among young people across this vast part of the world? That’s where our friend Linda Kavuka comes in.

People call Linda “Mama Africa” because she travels the continent to identify and foster talented leaders who value the freedoms that can help Africans achieve their true potential—Linda works for African Students For Liberty, an Atlas Network partner organization.

For more than a decade, African Students For Liberty have equipped students with the training and professional development needed to give rise to a new generation of activists, thinkers, and policy experts. 

Their highly-selective local coordinator program brings together like-minded people focused on limiting government and ensuring economic rights and individual choice. And Students For Liberty members don’t stop their involvement when their studies are over either. Their coordinator program now has nearly 500 active alumni from 36 African countries, who are changing the way African nations govern themselves. 

African Students For Liberty alumni have gone on to found or lead more than 20 organizations advancing freedom in the region, scaling up our partner network and providing local solutions to problems created by government overreach and corruption. 

We owe so many wins for freedom in the region to Linda and African Students For Liberty, and are truly grateful for their contributions to our worldwide movement. That’s why we were honored to award them with our Africa Liberty Award this year, and why they were nominated for our top prize—the Templeton Freedom Award. Those aren’t just accolades—that means they receive additional support for their mission.

An investment in the capable hands of Linda Kavuka is like sending out the talent scout to find the next great sports icon, and she can do far more with a few thousand United States dollars than we can within the United States. The return on your investment is much greater than anything else you can buy today, no matter how good the sales are.

Your generosity and commitment to freedom are making a lasting impact for current and future generations. Thank you for supporting Atlas Network. Your efforts are improving lives in Africa and changing the world for the better.

In Liberty,

Vale Sloane
Director of Development

P.S. Please make the most valuable Black Friday purchase you’ve ever considered, and invest in world-changing people by making a special gift here.