The African-American sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., now has a sisterhood in Africa. The chapter, Psi Tau Omega, covers the cities of Pretoria and Soweto. According to the new chapter’s president, South African entrepreneur Tracy Swatts Whitfield, South Africa is perfect for the AKAs.

Founded in 1908 at Howard University, Alpha Kappa Alpha (ΑΚΑ) is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African-American college women.

“Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is committed, as its slogan states) to ‘Global Leadership through Timeless Service’. Any place on the globe where women of Alpha Kappa Alpha reside is a good fit for an AKA chapter,” she told AFKInsider. “In South Africa, we have been blessed with a network of talented, dynamic women who are committed to addressing key social and economic issues bolstered by the support and sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.”

The members of the new chapter include business executives, attorneys, foundation leaders, educators and financial agents. According to Whitfield, the response to the chapter has been good so far.

“Psi Tau Omega has had an overwhelmingly positive response from potential candidates, the communities in which we serve and from sorors all over the world who have sent greetings and well wishes for our success. It has been joyful and inspiring,” she said. “Psi Tau Omega has 16 members including one very active golden soror! Another soror who recently gave birth will soon reactivate bringing our chapter up to 17. We also hope to identify and reactivate additional sorors within the year.”

Carolyn House Stewart, Alpha Kappa Alpha’s international president said Psi Tau Omega would give life to Nelson Mandela’s call to action by creating programs to assist the poor, the illiterate and the sick. “Collaboration is critical to our work throughout the world,” said House Stewart in a press release. “I’m proud that so many people are excited and eager to develop partnerships that will assist Alpha Kappa Alpha in carrying out the mission to improve the quality of life for South Africans.”

The sorority has more than 260,000 members in more than 900 chapters in the U.S. and other countries such as the U. S. Virgin Islands, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, Korea and in Africa.

According to Whitfield, the new chapter has various initiatives that will promote AKA worldwide efforts. Among them:

Education: “AKA Schools in the Eastern Cape Psi Tau Omega will take a chapter delegation to revisit 10 schools Alpha Kappa Alpha funded 10 years ago in the Eastern Cape to determine progress and where additional support is needed,” said Whitfield.

Global Poverty Initiatives: For this, Psi Tau Omega has already partnered with Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa. “Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa is a dynamic hunger alleviation program. It is a volunteer-based non-profit organization with a vision to end child hunger through education,” Whitfield said. “The program offers intelligent distribution that links food security with educational outcomes. Stop Hunger Now provides innovative meal packaging events that are well known for their team-building spirit, and offer ordinary individuals an opportunity to connect with the reality of child hunger.”

AKA sisters recently packaged 5,000 meals, which equates to feeding 70 children for a period of six months. “More than that, the women who run the Early Development Centers  in Alexandra Township where the AKA donation was distributed, will be provided with an opportunity to save on their food cost, and redirect these savings to achieve educational outcomes and infrastructural improvements for their facility,” Whitfield said. “This obviously improves the children’s chances of being prepared for primary school, significantly reducing the number of school drop-outs in South Africa.”Besides providing food at schools, this program also serves as an empowerment opportunity for micro-entrepreneurs. Psi Tau Omega will partner with Stop Hunger Now on a quarterly basis.

Health Initiatives: According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, between 1997 and 2004, 195 people died daily due to some form of heart and blood vessel disease. “Our goal for screening is to educate and empower women to make positive choices, such as proper diet, daily exercise, and periodic visits to doctors to check their cholesterol levels. While these measures may seem very simple, incorporating them in a woman’s routine may be the difference between a long healthy life and a premature death from heart disease,” Whitefield said.To help change this, Psi Tau Omega will partner with the Heart And Stroke Foundation to offer health screenings and distribute educational literature throughout the year.

Diabetes: Diabetes deaths are on the rise in South Africa. “Psi Tau Omega will partner with key stakeholders to host a zumbathon and health fair to bring awareness and education about diabetes and its treatment management to under-served communities in November 2014,” said Whitfield.

Psi Tau Omega will also push cancer education and economic security initiatives with workshops on financial literacy to under-served populations; social justice and human rights programs; and an emerging young leaders program though which the chapter will launch its first mentoring program in the first quarter of 2014.