An amazing scholar!

Maureen Akech

Maureen Akech is no stranger to hard work and perseverance. When her parents passed away, Maureen Akech and her sister moved in with her aunt and uncle, who also support their own five children and two nephews.

Seeing the amount of work that was burdening her aunt and uncle, Maureen decided to pitch in some effort to help. Maureen tends to their crops and still focuses on her schoolwork, with the hope that she will one day hold a successful job and provide financial stability to the family.

As an Educate! Scholar, she aspires to become a successful lawyer and someone who is known for her valuable contributions and generosity not only to her family but also in her community! 

Nuru Namono

Nuru Namono is an Educate! Scholar from eastern Uganda who demonstrates the potential of the next generation and illustrates the power of Educate!’s work. Several of Nuru’s friends did not have the opportunity to go to school and in order to make money they ended up resorting to prostitution in local bars.  Bothered the challenging situation she saw in her peers, Nuru decided to take action!

Dedicated to making a positive impact, Nuru motivated fourteen prostitutes from her local community to make fashionable clothes, which they were able to sell at a profit and earn a much needed source of income. Nuru didn’t stop there; together these young women organized a fashion show to promote their clothing line.

They have now formed a saving group with hopes that in the future they can become their own bosses. With the guidance of her Educate! Mentor, Nuru has positively transformed the course for many young women and the ripple she has created will be seen for generations to come.

Sarah Nambozo

Sarah Nambozo

Sarah Nambozo (Mbale High 2011-12) started a Micro saving Group consisting of 18 youth in her community and receives a cash grant of Ushs. 300,000 from a community organization for her tree planting project.  As ambitious young female from Mukudui Township in Mbale, Sarah testifies that a lot of potential was silent within her before she came into contact with the Educate! 

Growing up, she observed her brothers join the University only to get back home jobless. This has inspired a deep desire to see an empowered generation of youth in her community.

Although she was once a timid girl, Sarah has become an advocate for youth empowerment in her community participating in youth drama and soliciting community support for the promotion of youth entrepreneurship. She aspires to become a ray of hope to her peers and for this reason Sarah has opted to call her youth group, Hope Youth Saving Scheme. 

Jane Negesa

Jane Negesa is an Educate! Scholar in the up-country Mbale Cluster of high schools. Inspired by the Educate! Experience, Jane has become a leader in her community and an innovative social entrepreneur starting multiple successful initiatives.

During her school vacation, Jane set up a garden of beans which harvested Ushs. 150,000 (Approx. $52). She reinvested a portion of this money by purchasing dry coffee seeds from farmers in her village and then selling the coffee seeds at a minimum margin to coffee processors at the business center. With the remaining money, she started a grocery stall that sells oil and tomatoes.

Motivated by Jane’s determination to change the welfare of her home, youth in Jane’s community approached her for mentorship. Jane has led this group of youth to start an initiative that makes energy efficient stoves to prevent deforestation in the Bulambuli district of Eastern Uganda. The rate of deforestation in this area due to rapid population growth, has led to devastating mudslides leaving hundreds of people homeless. This initiative has contributed to offering a brighter future for the devastated region of Bulambuli.

 In August, Jane helped the group of youth launch a savings circle that earns money by cleaning the market area. The money saved will kick start their Community Credit Project. By leading the youth in her community and teaching them the skills that she has learned from Educate!, Jane truly embodies one of Educate!’s core values, exponential empowerment. 

Victoria Akao

Victoria Akao has clearly defined her goals with the help of her Educate! Mentor. Classes in leadership and social entrepreneurship have motivated her to first consider how she can solve her community’s problems, rather than merely focusing on job prospects and financial income for herself.

Thanks to Educate!, Victoria realizes she can make meaningful contributions to her community while also building a for-profit enterprise. She plans to begin her university studies in two years.