SUPPORT THE CAUSES OF MARGINALIZED PEOPLE
ENABLE THEM SHAPE THEIR BRIGHT FUTURE
We, the sons and daughters of the Nuba Mountains, dispersed across the world yet united in heritage, identity, and destiny, moved by the urgent need to restore our people’s dignity and strengthen our collective resilience, hereby establish the Nuba Mountains International Association (NMIA) as a nonprofit, community-based, and humanitarian organization committed to serving our people both in the diaspora and the homeland.
Acknowledging the long history of struggle, displacement, and marginalization endured by the Nuba people, we are determined to transform that struggle into strength — and to convert despair into hope — through organized community action, self-reliance, education, and unity of purpose.
Guided by the principles of peace, justice, equality, and human dignity, and inspired by our cultural heritage and moral obligation to serve, we hereby adopt this Founding Declaration and Charter to govern and guide our Association and its institutions.
1.The official name of this organization shall be the Nuba Mountains International Association (NMIA).
2.It shall operate as a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonreligious, and community-based organization.
3.The Association shall be registered under the laws of the United States of America and recognized under applicable nonprofit regulations.
4.The Association may, upon due process, be registered and recognized in the Republic of South Sudan and other countries for operational coordination.
1.The National Headquarters of NMIA shall be located in a city within the United States as determined by the General Assembly.
2.The Association may establish state chapters, regional branches, and international liaison offices in areas where Nuba communities reside.
3.The operational scope of NMIA extends to:
To unify the Nuba people for common causes, strengthen solidarity, restore dignity, and build a hopeful, prosperous future for all Nuba people in the diaspora and homeland.
To mobilize, organize, and empower the Nuba people in the diaspora to collectively work for social advancement, humanitarian assistance, educational empowerment, and sustainable community development.
The goals and objectives of NMIA shall include but not be limited to the following:
1.To revitalize the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity among the Nuba people in the diaspora by strengthening unity, mutual respect, and cooperation among Nuba communities across the United States.
2.To empower Nuba communities through education, skills training, and capacity development.
3.To advance health and well-being through community health awareness and support initiatives.
4.To promote peace, reconciliation, and conflict resolution among divided communities.
5.To preserve and promote Nuba cultural heritage, languages, and traditions by mainlining cultural identity and self-confidence, while fostering pride and originality among younger generations
6.To advocate for human rights and justice for the Nuba people and other marginalized groups.
7.To mobilize resources for humanitarian relief, disaster response, and community development projects, by mobilizing global Nuba communities to assist victims of war and displacement in the Nuba Mountains and beyond.
8.To encourage economic empowerment by inspiring Nuba professionals and investors to contribute to sustainable local economic projects in the homeland.
9.To maintain organizational neutrality by preventing the Association from involvement in partisan politics, religious divisions, or tribal rivalries.
10.To build institutional capacity for effective governance and sustainable service delivery.
11.To foster partnerships with governments, civil society, and international organizations.
12.To connect diaspora and homeland Nuba communities for shared learning, solidarity, and progress.
13.To enhance international advocacy by raising global awareness about human rights violations and humanitarian crises in the Nuba Mountains.
1.Eligibility:
Membership shall be open to all Nuba origin or descent individuals residing in the United States, regardless of religion, tribe, gender, or political background, as well as friends and partners who share the Association’s goals.
2.Categories of Membership:
3.Rights of Members:
4.Duties of Members:
The governance and leadership of NMIA shall consist of the following organs:
1.General Assembly – The supreme decision-making body comprising all registered members.
2.National Executive Leadership – Responsible for policy execution, administration, and coordination.
3.Board of Trustees – Serving as the advisory board that comprised of experienced community leaders and professionals who provide strategic guidance and moral support to the Association to ensure accountability and long-term vision.
4.Standing Committees – Thematic committees responsible for program areas, including:
5.Regional, State, and Local Chapters – Constituting decentralized and grassroots structure that Decentralized bodies that coordinates local activities and membership engagement within each U.S. state and represents NMIA members in different locations.
1. Leadership within NMIA shall be guided by transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness.
2. All national officers shall be elected democratically by the General Assembly.
3. Leadership shall operate under the spirit of collective responsibility and servant leadership.
4. All elected and appointed leaders shall uphold the highest ethical and moral standards.
5. Leadership transitions shall occur through democratic and peaceful processes as provided in the Bylaws.
6. The term of office shall be two (2) years, renewable once.
7. Leadership must reflect gender balance, regional representation, and inclusivity.
8. Any vacant position shall be filled through interim appointment pending the next general election
1.The Association’s resources shall come from:
2.NMIA shall operate as a nonprofit organization under U.S. and relevant host country laws.
3.The Association’s funds and financial sources shall be derived from:
4.All financial transactions shall be conducted with transparency, accountability, and proper auditing procedures.
5.No member shall personally profit from the organization’s funds, except as reimbursement for authorized expenses or employment under contractual agreement.
6.All funds shall be managed transparently under a financial policy approved by the General Assembly.
7.The Association shall maintain an official bank account under its registered name.
NMIA shall collaborate with:
1.Nuba organizations and associations across the globe;
2.Humanitarian and development agencies;
3.Governmental and intergovernmental institutions; and
4.Civil society and academic institutions pursuing justice, peace, and development.
1.Any amendment to this Charter shall be proposed by the Executive Committee or at least one-third of the General Assembly members.
2.Amendments shall be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the General Assembly present at a duly convened meeting.
3.Upon adoption, amendments shall take effect immediately unless otherwise specified.
1.Upon ratification of this Charter, an Interim Leadership Committee shall be established to guide the Association’s registration, mobilization, and first general elections.
2.All assets, records, and initiatives established during the transitional period shall be transferred to the first elected National Executive Committee.
1.NMIA–USA may be dissolved only by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the General Assembly.
2.In the event of dissolution, all remaining assets of NMIA-USA shall be transferred to a legally recognized nonprofit organization with similar objectives and values serving Nuba people or other marginalized Sudanese communities, in accordance with U.S. nonprofit law.
We, the undersigned founding members of the Nuba Mountains International Association (NMIA), in full consciousness of our shared identity, responsibility, and destiny, hereby declare the establishment of this Association as a symbol of unity, service, and hope for our people.
We affirm our commitment to the principles enshrined in this Charter and pledge to uphold them faithfully for the benefit of the Nuba people and humanity at large.
Adopted This Day of March, 2001
At the General Conference of the Nuba People in the United States of America
Signed on Behalf of the Founding Members:
___________________________ (Chairperson) ___________________________ (Secretary-General)
___________________________ (Treasurer) ___________________________ (Witness/Advisor)
“From struggle to strength, from division to unity — together we rise for the Nuba people and a brighter tomorrow.”