Empowerment Community in rural Uganda

Jennifer Kirabo has over 10 years experience in non-profit leadership, specifically, spearheading successful programs in Uganda. She has been traveling to Uganda since 2012, and eventually in 2016 to work as a volunteer teacher full-time at a Secondary School in Mpigi.  She founded/launched “Filmanthropy” a program which introduced creative arts to Secondary School-aged children in Uganda. She was responsible for developing, organizing and executing the program, which allowed children the opportunity to express themselves creatively, gain critical communicative/interpersonal skills, and build confidence. The program was introduced to over 300 children from all over the country, and run successfully from 2015-2019. She also launched initiatives to raise funds for children who dropped out of school due to poverty, placing over 50 children in schools throughout Uganda, as well as programs to connect people in the U.S. who desired to help sponsor a child's education in Uganda while developing a meaningful relationship. 

We're constructing a secondary school & empowerment community - the first of its kind, in rural Uganda. The people of this area are some of the most vulnerable in the world, suffering from poverty and lack of infrastructure in their remote community. The majority of children drop out of school in Uganda by grade 6, but the numbers are significantly higher in rural communities. People struggle to come up with money for food, shelter and medicine, and education is often not seen as a possibility. They are also located far from the city, so jobs are fewer, there is a lack of clean water and access to healthcare. We are constructing a school which will provide children in need a FREE education, as well as offer adult education classes, job opportunities, and community outreach initiatives. It is our goal to uplift the surrounding communities and help them to become self-sufficient. 

In Uganda 66% of children drop out of school by grade 6. The #1 reason: poverty. There is no taxation system in place which covers free schooling, if a child wants to attend they must pay tuition each term. 38% of Ugandans live in extreme poverty (below $1.25 PPP/day) and struggle for necessities (clean water, food, medicine) and therefore, education is often not seen as an option. Children are often forced to drop out of school to help their families survive, with the hope of one day returning, but most do not.  And so, the secondary school attendance rate is a staggering 17%!

We will be directly helping to solve this problem by operating a school which will provide 150 children per year a free education! They will be provided a quality education in a community where they are empowered, encouraged and uplifted! We will prepare our future students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become productive members of society; taking critical steps towards a more self-reliant Africa. Create will also empower members of local communities through providing job opportunities, adult education/job training and outreach initiatives.

We believe that an education is not a luxury, but a fundamental human right.  Every child deserves the opportunity to go to school… to live a better life. Create Foundation is constructing and and will operate a secondary school which will provide 150 children per year a free education. We will prepare our future students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become productive members of society. They will be prepared to secure better paying jobs which will allow them to better provide for their families, create more stable home environments, start businesses, stimulate their local economies and strengthen their communities.

Create Academy will not only transform the lives of the thousands of children the school will serve, but also positively impact local communities.  Our unique model will provide dozens of Ugandans job opportunities where they can earn a fair wage, and give back to the community by utilizing our classroom space outside of school hours for adult education classes, computer skills/job training courses, as well as community outreach initiatives which will include: women’s empowerment and leadership building seminars, and activities where locals can learn critical life skills like: budgeting, how to prepare a resume, and job interview preparation. 

According to UN Development Programme report citing populations living BELOW $1.25 PPP per day, Uganda is rated 164 of 187 rated countries documented, with roughly 38% of the country living below $1.25 PPP per day. The beneficiaries of our program will be some of the poorest in the world. 100% of our beneficiaries will fall into the category of under $1.25 PPP/day. The target reach of our school is to help people who are overlooked, victims of poverty from some of the most marginalized communities. Nakasajja, where we have purchased the land for our community, is a remote village. The community is very isolated and lacks schools, healthcare and even clean water. Our school will provide 150 children/year in the community the life-changing opportunity to receive an education, and will also impact thousands of people of all ages by providing access to clean water, job and entrepreneurship opportunities, adult education, job training courses, and initiatives like Women’s Empowerment workshops. What makes our organization different, is that our team is comprised of 99% Ugandans, and instead of going providing some assistance and leaving, we are building up the infrastructure and providing tools within the community to strengthen, stabilize and improve. 

Our mission greatly aligns with the dimension of elevating opportunities for all people, especially those traditionally left behind, as our work centers on a remote, very marginalized community in rural Uganda. Our unique model is unlike any other, designed to wholly engage members of every age in the community. CREATE aims to serve a greater purpose… it will not just be a school, it will be a community, an epicenter of learning, opportunity, skills training, economic growth... actively engaging communities and provide valuable, powerful skills and resources needed to create dramatic, lasting change for thousands of vulnerable people. 

I came up with the idea of Create Academy and Empowerment Community after working in Uganda for several years. From my very first trip, I felt a deep connection to the people and desired to make a difference. There are many challenges in Uganda, specifically in rural communities, because there simply are not enough organizations out there to make enough of an impact. The problems are vast, and though many organizations do great work in Uganda, there just simply aren't enough, and many people are overlooked. Working as a teacher at a secondary school in Mpigi, I developed very close personal connections to my students. I absolutely love my students, we are family. But by living with them every single day for years, I was able to gain insight into the struggles their families faced. Almost daily several children would be missing from my classes, dropping out of school because their families couldn't afford tuition. Almost every family goes through this at some point, and I helped as many as I could personally, but realized that was only a temporary fix. I needed to do something to create a tangible, lasting impact for as many people as possible.

I fell in love with Uganda on my very first trip in 2012, so much so, that I moved there. The people are amazing! The children so special! Working with children from all areas of the country for many years now, I have developed such close relationships with them. They are my world! My passion is helping to educate, guide and empower them to live better lives. This is what I have committed my life to. These children are so resilient, intelligent and capable of so much good... but many of their dreams are hindered before they even get the chance to explore them. Only 17% of children in Uganda attend secondary (grades 7-12). The impact of this affects the entire country's development. These children deserve the opportunity to be educated- families should never have to be faced with the predicament of either eating/seeking medical care or sending their child to school. People live without fundamental human rights - clean water, food, access to medical care... it isn't right. In 2020, there is no reason why this should be happening. They deserve better. It is my life's work to help make a change, there is nothing more worthwhile to me.

Our years of experience in Uganda working with different children from all areas of the country and developing close personal relationships with them, have prepared and given us a unique perspective.  There are many non-profit organizations operating in Uganda that are run by people not physically living in Uganda, or with little experience in the country.  The CREATE is made of almost entirely Ugandans, and our founding team has spent extensive time living and working in Uganda, and understands the cultural, educational and societal ins-and-outs necessary to make a Uganda-based non-profit endeavor a success.  We have the experience and knowledge to build an institution from the ground up and ensure its success.  Our local team, comprised of Ugandans with backgrounds in law, education and charitable organizations, is committed to our vision, and equipped to assist us with realizing and executing it.  Our Founder is committed to running CREATE on site, in Uganda.  This is crucial to the success of this project.  We believe in an involved, hands-on approach.  And most importantly, it is our passion. We are committed to our mission, and will not stop until we are successful. 

The challenges we face now are funding, however, upon the school running and seeing visible success with numbers, we do not believe funding will be an issue as the innovation is scaled. Where we expect possible challenges, is in replicating our model as far as approach. What makes CREATE unique is our approach to the children and creating an environment based upon nurturing, encouraging and empowering. In Uganda, many teachers of older generations and individuals who sit in positions of power, have “old school” mentalities that do not necessary agree with giving children respect, providing positive reenforcement, or uplifting others. They are used to an extremely strict, impersonal approach. We do believe times and mentalities are slowly changing and becoming more progressive. And we also strongly believe that through solid facts - numbers that will back up the success of our method, that even those strongly opposed will see it is worthy and give it a chance. Due to pressure to improve school attendance in Uganda, the government and those in positions of influence are eager to find ideas that work. 

I have always been passionate about helping others, and have always taken initiative to make change, even from a young age. At 22, I founded my first nonprofit organization, and developed programs and fundraisers to give back to causes I was passionate about - providing assistance to cancer patients, the homeless, and children. When I first traveled to Uganda, I was inspired and really desired to make an impact. I wasn't wealthy, but I knew that I could be the one to make a difference through my skills, knowledge and resources. I developed and successfully ran projects in the country from 2012 to present - helping to educate children, create access to the arts, and placing children back in school that had dropped out due to poverty. This work is my passion, and anyone I encounter can see it. I have developed a strong network in Uganda of people who want to be a part of creating change with me, and support of people abroad who have seen my commitment to this work, and the way I am steadfast in approaching my work - with respect for the people, culture and way of life in the communities where I'm working. 

The Create Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission of empowering the youth of Uganda and creating lasting positive change by constructing and operating an eco-friendly, sustainable secondary school which will provide children in need a 100% free education, as well as serve members of the local community through job opportunities, educational programs and community outreach initiatives. This unique model focuses on not just providing education or some help to a community, and then leaving, as many other programs do. Our goal is to provide well-rounded tools which will help to empower an entire community, from the youngest to eldest members. From providing the life-changing opportunity to be educated to children, to providing adults who never completed their educations the chance, to trade skills programs like welding & cosmetology so that people may develop a skill which will enable them to earn an income, to the jobs our community will provide in forms of teachers, security guards, cooks, farmers, groundskeepers, and more. 

On the outside perimeter of the school, we will construct a building block which will consist of spaces available to local entrepreneurs to rent out and start their own businesses. These spaces are often occupied by salons, goods shops, tailors, etc. These will provide valuable opportunities for locals to start businesses, generate income and help to stimulate the local economy, which will in turn, further positively impact the lives of those living in the local communities. 

With 83% of children in Uganda not having access to Secondary Education (grades 7-12) the need is critical. Our school will directly increase the levels of education attainment for thousands in the rural area we will serve. The land we have purchased for Create Academy is located in Nakasajja, a rural area that has ZERO Secondary Schools. Families in this area have no opportunity to send their child to school after grade 6, unless they can travel long distances to a different region and stay with a family member there. Building this school will create opportunities and change the lives of some of the poorest communities in the world. Not only will the school benefit the hundreds of children it will serve, but we will utilize our classroom space after school hours to also educate members of local communities. We will offer adult education, computer training courses, and vocational training in lucrative areas like welding and cosmetology. Thousands of adults in nearby villages will benefit from these programs and gain valuable education.

We will measure success by the very act of getting children off the street and back into the classroom! The true fruits of our labor will be shown when our very first class graduates and completes Secondary School. Strict records will be kept of every student who passes through our doors, every student who graduates and we will also keep in contact with our alumni to track their successes and welcome them back to speak to our future students. We will also monitor by the impact on the local communities through various metrics such as: number of small businesses assisted, percentage of women owned businesses assisted, jobs created/retained, new businesses started, local GDP, % of projects meeting objectives, etc. The success of Create Academy will also be monitored by Uganda’s government sector - the Ministry of Education. They will monitor the marks of our students through government testing, teachers and staff. Create Foundation is committed to transparency and are happy to share information every step of the way with our supporters. 

The beneficiaries of Create Academy will be some of the poorest in the world. 100% of our beneficiaries will fall into the category of under $1.25 PPP/day. With Uganda's numbers accounting for both urban & rural populations, the lower percentages pertain to rural areas. The target reach of our school is to help the children who are overlooked, victims of poverty from some of the most marginalized communities. Our school will provide 150 children/year (males & females ages 11-18) the life-changing opportunity to receive an education. 

Each year:

150 students will receive an education free of charge.

40-50 jobs provided: The Create community will employ roughly four dozen members of the local communities as teachers, cooks, security guards, groundskeepers, cleaning staff and more. 

125 adults in adult education/trade school programs. The school will offer adult ed & trade programs in the areas of welding, cosmetology, as well as computer training courses. 

Approximately 10 adults in the community will benefit from our shop rentals where they will have the opportunity to start their own businesses (hair salons, goods shops, tailors) and earn income for their families/positively impact the local economy.

2,000 people of all ages from surrounding communities will benefit from the economic benefits of jobs, new businesses opened and accessible, clean water access, education, and the economic impact of the community.  

In September of 2019, we purchased two and a half acres of land in the rural area of Nakasajja, Uganda, where we will build our school and community. In January of this year, we broke ground. Our goal is to begin construction within the next 5 months, and complete construction in 2021, and open the doors of our school to our first class of 150 students. Our plan is to construct an eco-friendly and cost efficient community, and we have developed revenue generation strategies which will not only benefit members of the community, but help to offset yearly operating costs. These include: adult education classes, weekend community workout/dance classes, trade school programs (welding/cosmetology), shop rentals, our "sponsor a student" program, and fruit/vegetable farm on premises. We intend to secure funding for the first 5 years of operation by hopefully the close of 2020. After our first year of operation, we will also appeal to the Ugandan Ministry of Education for additional funding support. Within five years, we hope to grow our staff, possibly purchase more acres of land to expand our school to a boarding facility, so that children from villages located further away can enjoy the opportunity of receiving their education, build another block of shop rentals and a medical centre, which will provide free healthcare to surrounding communities. 

Create Foundation is lucky to have a good amount of support of our work in Uganda - from local officials, to the head of the tribe of our local community. We have a construction team ready to help us build, we have the land, the only thing standing in our way is the funding! We believe that every child deserves an education… the opportunity to live a better life. And that the people of vulnerable communities deserve these fundamental human rights we are striving to provide. There is a critical need for a school and community like this. For the last several years we have campaigned online, held fundraisers and have received funds from individuals and small grants, but unfortunately due to Covid-19, it seems many organizations are at a standstill. We have been informed that several organizations that we applied to for grants in 2019 are now on pause, or have ceased supplying grants. To receive funding from the Elevate Prize would make all the difference in our vision becoming a reality. We held our groundbreaking, we have met and talked to the people of our new community, they are waiting... they are counting on us, and we need the funding to make it happen. Everything else is there! We have the team, we have the passion, the dedication. We just need the funds to build.

With the barrier of funding, we must be persistent. Though Covid has greatly impacted our ability to organize fundraising events and network socially, and has also jeopardized many people's ability to contribute, we are using this time to apply for new grants, focus on building our network of supporters and plan for the future. Before the pandemic, we were gaining strong momentum - raising enough funds for the land in Uganda, purchasing the land, and finally having our groundbreaking ceremony. We had gained a lot of interest with these steps, and some meetings with potential supporters have been cancelled or pushed back. Most organizations in these uncertain times are going through similar, we know our work is critical/must continue at all costs. Seeing the way people in western countries vs. the way people in Uganda have been impacted, has only reenforced to us how vital our community will be. While the situation is difficult for everyone, it has demonstrated the disparity between different regions. While children in the U.S. cannot attend school, they still have the opportunity to still learn - via online classes, etc. For children in Uganda - schools are CLOSED. People in rural areas do not have internet/laptops, or access to any type of educational tools. For adults in western countries there have been economic programs/unemployment benefits... in Uganda, life has stopped. There is no work/income. Our community would immensely benefit from the local jobs we would provide, being able to trade goods, access to water/food.

Create Foundation has received support through crowdfunding campaigns, small grants and donations. But at this time, we do not have any organizations we are partnering with. We would love the opportunity to partner with organizations passionate about making a tangible impact on some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.

Our school will be a completely non-profit school, run solely off donations/support, and with the help of our revenue generation programs. As it is extremely difficult for most families in Uganda to raise funds needed for school tuition, attendance rates are staggering.  Students regularly drop in and out of school based upon whether they can come up with the fees.  Many children drop out to begin working to help their families survive, in hopes they can one day return to school, but many never do. According to UNICEF,  only 17% of youth ages 13-18 attend Secondary School. Due to this, our charity organization is committed to never charging any fee to the students of our school. Our school will fulfill a critical need for children in these dire situations, and we understand the difficulties those in our community face, with most making less than $30 USD in a month. As such, the school will never charge fees to the students. Where we will generate funds to help run our project will be through our other programs - utilizing our facilities for adult education and computer programs as well as trade school programs which students will be charged tuition. We plan to charge less than traditional schools in cities like Kampala charge, to make it more affordable for the people living nearby, but it will generate revenue for our community's operation. The same with rental shops for entrepreneurs we are providing, and farming.

GARDEN PRODUCTION: On campus, a fruit and vegetable garden will be planted.   We'll grow a variety crops found in Uganda that we can use not only to feed our students and staff, but to sell.  This will not only offset our monthly food costs, but generate a steady revenue. 

RENTALS: On the outside perimeter, we will construct a small block building comprised of separate spaces to rent out to local businesses.  These are common, and locals often rent out such spaces for food shops, tailors, etc.  As we raise more funding, we have the option to expand our land, and with that also comes the option to build more rental properties.

COMMUNITY CLASSES:  We will use our studio space to host community activities and classes (such as dancing, workouts etc.) outside of school hours. This will employ locals, giving them space to grow their business, while creating a income for themselves, and allowing us to generate additional income.

Adult-Education, Computer Training, Welding/Salon School: For a small fee, these courses will empower adults in local communities with education and skills necessary for them to pursue new careers and secure better paying jobs, while also generating revenue.

“Sponsor a Student”:  We will start a unique program that we believe will engage individual supporters/involve them in our process.  On our website, we will feature a photo/short description/fun tidbits about each of our students.  Prospective donors will be able to select a child, and “sponsor” them for a terms or even the whole year.  

We are a small organization, and we do not believe in charity as “big business”, but rather that ever penny raised is best served going directly towards the cause and people in need, rather than to administrative costs and overhead. As such, we do not have any paid staff, and only small expenditures, such as running our website, email accounts, domain, etc. Organization’s main funding sources:  Small foundations, private donors, fundraising activities.

In the last 12 months our revenue sources include:

Website Donors: $750.07

Crowdfunding campaign: $124.15

Individual Donations: $8,471.85

Fundraising Event: $1,000

We are seeking grants to support our work! Funding is needed to construct our school/community, as well as yearly operating costs to run the school, which includes: paying staff, water, electricity, security, food, school supplies, etc. 

Land Plot: $20,810 - PURCHASED!

Security Post: $2,162

Security Wall: $12,973

Classroom block w/offices: $33,784

Medical Centre: $5,405

Cafeteria: $8,108

Main Hall: $10,811

Walkways: $2,162

Football Field: $8,108

Vegetable Garden: $405

Water Tanks: $2,432 (x2)

Water Pumps: $946

Solar Panels: $11,351

Electric Work: $8,108

Plumbing: $6,757

Desks: $4054

Cafeteria Stoves/Refrigerator/Storage: $8,108

Lunch Tables/Chairs: $1,081

Lunch Trays: $338

Cups/Cutlery: $243

Computers: Donations Only

Lab Stations: $1,081

Bookshelves: $1,081

School Books: $811

Other Books: Donations Only

Art Studio: $1,351

Sports Equipment: Donations Only

Medical Centre Desk/Chair: $135

Exam Table: $135

Cabinets/Storage: $541

Beds (2): $270

Medical Supplies: $811

Bathroom Sink/Toilet: $811

Landscaping: $1,351

Trash/Recycling Receptacles: $811

Lawn Mower/Supplies: $1,351

Cleaning Supplies: $541

Total: $140,511

As mentioned above, we are a small charity, and believe all funds are best suited going directly to the cause we serve. Therefore, we currently have no paid staff. Only the following are expenses for this year:

Salaries: 0

Website domain: $48.75

G-suite mailboxes: $144

Wix Website Plan: $168

Legal Fees for filing paperwork in Uganda:  $740

We are applying for The Elevate Prize, because we believe our very special project aligns very much with it and can lead our organization to receiving the support necessary to realize our goals. We are extremely passionate and committed to making a difference in the lives of thousands of deserving people in rural Uganda, and believe that this platform can elevate our visibility and help us to connect with the resources we need to make this worthwhile project happen! Our very mission is to provide people in these marginalized communities with access to education, healthcare, and safe environments to live and prosper! We are literally working towards the goals that the Elevation Prize is highlighting. We especially think this would be the perfect opportunity for us, because what we have realized, is that small organizations like ours are often overlooked. Large, well-established charities are the ones that often receive large grants from the same grant makers and organizations, and smaller organizations that DO NOT take large percentages of donations, but are on the ground, putting in the work, making an ACTIVE DIFFERENCE WITH EVERY CENT are often overlooked. We need your help! Together, we can make a difference! We have the power to build a school and give children a second chance at a better life! We have the power to educate adults in this community, provide jobs and valuable skills that will TRANSFORM not only their lives, but entire communities! Join us!

Create Foundation is actively seeking partners that can help provide the funding support we desperately need to construct our school and empowerment community. For us being a small organization, working in a remote area of East Africa, we really need the financial support. We have found that many large companies only seem to give grants/funding to organizations that they have a longstanding relationship with, which really stands in the way of newer organizations that are doing important work. Many of these large organizations have high overhead, and pay CEO's and staff large sums, while only fractions of every dollar donated actually goes to the cause. We are looking to team up with companies/organizations that recognize and appreciate an our organization like ours that is out there, working to make an active difference in the lives of people who need it most,and putting every cent into the CAUSE!

We are interested in partnering with organizations that are committed to making a difference in the lives of those underserved- particularly in Africa and organizations passionate about impacting the lives of children in need. Besides funding, we are looking for partners that will help to expand our visibility and reach more supporters. Advisors, marketing, media, exposure and monitoring/evaluation are all areas where we can really use support and guidance. We would love to form a lasting partnership where we can impact the lives of thousands of deserving people in rural Uganda together!