a) Research: AEF, Inc. has and will strive to maintain an exhaustive and current database on each African country. The foundation can therefore look into any economic and development quest from a donor/sponsor in a timesaving manner. The foundation can assist in developing viable grass root based economic programs (strategic planning), development or review of proposals and in carrying pre- and post intervention studies. In many instances, research is a prerequisite for project funding; it establishes the need and viability of the project and in most situations is undertaken by the sponsor, recipient or jointly.AEF, Inc. is unique. AEF founders have observed deplorable practices in Africa where pre and post intervention research takes the larger portion of the allocated` resources under the expense of direct grass-root interventions. Most disappointing is tendency of the baseline reports being duplicates of existing information. Very often technical assistance to the pre and post studies is the most important component and an avenue for siphoning back resources. The factors contributing to poverty and redundancy in development in Africa are too well to justify costly research and the use of high cost consultants. To reverse this trend and ensure direct benefits to the needy, AEF discourages stand-alone baseline studies but encourages rapid assessments that are built into the intervention. In addition AEF promotes the engagement of national expertise.Engagement of national expertise overcomes the challenges imposed by visa and insecurities. AEF believes that national experts are at an advantage in grass-root interventions.AEF has the knowledge and experience on Africa (Ref Directors and Advisory Board members profiles), a strong base for networking with technical experts and therefore well positioned to moderate research to the full benefit of the sponsors and beneficiaries.To avoid duplication AEF Vision, mission and approaches are unique. AEF program partnership is at the grass-root level and a bottom up approach is emphasized in the planning and implementation of community based initiatives including research. With focus on grass root activities, AEF can serve as an extension arm of many organizations, thus uniquely avoiding being a competitor. The vision and mission statement below highlights the uniqueness of AEF. b) Evaluation: AEF, Inc. has a highly qualified team in program/project evaluations and we offer our support to the donor community and individual African states, we serve as an independent, third party evaluators for economic and development projects. Our evaluations can be customized to address the needs of the donor or the recipient country Scope of operation: but most importantly, we look into three areas namely: Efficiency, Effectiveness and sustainability.Due to our understanding of the African environment and culture in addition to our unique approach of engaging National expertise including community based workers, AEF is well placed in evaluating the extent of reaching the most underserved. The approach is in situations where the political and social environment is considered unfavorable. With respect to evaluation our customers are multi-lateral, bilateral and nternational agencies and NGOs needing to know if their support is reaching the target populations. If you have this as a felt need and you feel uncomfortable in direct involvement in conducting evaluation you own program, visit our contact page. c) Micro-financing for grass root level for Rural Development AEF goal is to accelerate socio economic development amongst the rural poor through skills development, capacity building for management skills and Micro-financing.Eradication of poverty amongst the poor communities has received lip service for too long. Very often the plight of the poor communities is used to mobilization of huge amounts of resources that never reach the intended communities. In some situations the  monies go to eradicate poverty amongst the rich at the expense of the poor.International development agencies including the World Bank question whether their resources meant for the poor rally reach the most in need. While assisting in review or development or implementation of grass-root (community based) interventions, AEF takes the advantages to compile information on the extent to which resources reach  intended communities. This information is shared with interested parties. Another problem has been providing communities with material support without attending to the development of their management skills. Material support without capacity building is incomplete approach at the grass-root level. AEF has evidence that a capacity building coupled with material support is the most cost effective at the community level. AEF builds on this evidence. Technical and capacity building for improved management is considered an integral part of the grass root initiatives. In this regard AEF taps on the existing national extension workers program for technical support at the grass root level.This is another feature that makes AEF approach unique.AEF wishes to show that the impact integrating capacity building in management skills into micro financing in alleviating poverty. AEF encourage capacity building along side material support to communities. The capacity building is in terms of training and technical back stopping by the local experts.