The Goal

The goal of Reclaiming the Village is to encourage young men 10-15 years old to lead healthy lives by preventing teenage pregnancy, bonding with peers, completing high school and obtaining higher education.

The program conducts weekly activities that are based upon seven life principles. The principles are as follows:

• Umoja — Unity
• Kujichagulia — Self determination
• Ujima — Collective work and responsibility
• Ujamaa — Cooperative economics
• Nia — Purpose
• Kuumba — Creativity
• Imani — Faith

These seven principles are applicable to all cultures and serve as directives for daily living. The Reclaiming the Village program is governed by the mantra, "I am reclaiming my spirit, my pride, my identity, my spirituality, my community, my self-esteem, my responsibility and my heritage. Knowing that a man is the sum of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do. Nothing else."