Costence Mpirirwe, an Educate! Mentor, teaches the Educate! Leadership Curriculum at three of our partner schools.  Through the Educate! Program, high school students (Educate! Scholars) unleash their potential to tackle their community’s greatest challenges.   In addition to learning skills in leadership and social entrepreneurship, our Scholars start social initiatives.  Below, read from Costence about her Scholars at New Kaabale High School and all they have done to reduce poverty in their community. 

New Kabaale High School in Busega, where Costence Mpirirwe teaches the Educate! Leadership Curriculum to high school students.

In the Kampala suburb of Busega, I teach the Educate! Leadership Curriculum at a typical school in a developing country—New Kaabale High School.  It is a young school with boys and girls from the poor communities in the country.  The school administrators have put up solid buildings but the floors lack cement and there are few desks. When I started teaching as an Educate! Mentor, I remember thinking that the school compound looked dull, without flowers or design.  Needless to say, starting a social initiative was really difficult for the students, because they viewed themselves as having nothing.

As a mentor we are taught to believe in the potential of all our students, help them build a vision for change and push them to set goals towards achieving that vision.   At New Kabaale, the vision started on their school’s very own campus. 

Last year, through the Educate! Leadership Curriculum, Educate! Scholars at New Kabaale set out to beautify their school compound.  They began by planting flowers around their school’s campus.  Next, they created a round- a-bout and organized an area they named “The Freedom Square.”  Since instigating the changes, the students began to take pride in their school—an improvement that was reflected in a stronger commitment to their academics. 

The newly found pride is apparent in the administration, as well.  After the beautification project, the administration started to take pictures of the school campus.  They now use the pictures for advertising and recruitment.  Giving the Educate! Scholars even more recognition for their work, the New Kabaale annual reports and yearly calendar features pictures of the Freedom Square.

After being so inspired by the success of the beautification project, the Educate! Scholars decided to grow their social initiative and address the problem of poverty: They started a small business.  Though they are poor, they found a way to create jewelry out of recycled materials and discarded trash.  They make beads from thrown out scrap paper and create bangles from plastic bottles and old tin.  With the help from one of their fellow Educate! Scholars Zeridah, all the students learned how to make paper beads, glass beads, bangles, necklaces, belts, door mats, baskets, and earrings. They sell their jewelry to teachers, parents and visitors to earn income.  They have extended their services to their community as well.  The Scholars have taught members of their church how to make the paper beads and door mats, thus allowing some of them to earn a better living and generate personal income.

After saving enough money from the jewelry project, the Educate! Scholars extended their initiative and reinvested the money in a vegetable growing project.  The school gave the students land, which was used to harvest carrots, cabbage, sweet potatoes, corn and eggplant.  They sold the produce back to the school, bringing in more money for their Educate! initiative, while simultaneously adding to the diets of their classmates.  The school prepared the vegetables for the entire student body, providing a nutritional element to their standard lunch of beans and posho (flour water mixture).

Over the holidays, the students took the skills they acquired through Educate! back to their homes by creating personal gardens for their families.  As I speak now, every student has a garden at his or her home that they attend to; their parents have even commented that their children have improved their knowledge and skills. 

As I work with the students at New Kabaale, I see how they started with a simple vision of improving their school’s campus, and then I watched that vision spread into the larger community and their lives back home.  Educate! does not just teach students skills to succeed, we empower our students to take action with the skills they have learned.  This has enabled the change to extend beyond the individual. Through the Educate! Leadership Curriculum, students are learning and demonstrating how much potential they have to pursue their vision for a better world everywhere they go.

—Costence Mpirirwe

I came away from my one-month trip to Uganda more inspired than ever.  I had heard much about our program’s progress and success, but I hadn’t fully understood the transformation that has occurred thanks to the hard work of our team in Uganda, led by Country Director Emily Lutyens and Program Director Angelica Towne.

Visiting school after school, I listened to countless stories about students who had started businesses and initiatives to solve problems in their communities.  More than ever before, our students believe that they are the solution to the problems facing their communities.  At just one school, Greenhill College, I met two brothers, Samuel and James, who, over their holiday, made 10,000 bricks and planted 150 banana trees to pay their school fees.  

One of their classmates, Nelson, organized a group of female jewelry makers in his hometown into a cooperative.  He just completed a business plan outlining how they can get greater access to markets for their products.  Nelson’s story was an example of exponential empowerment at its finest. 

As I stopped to process everything I was seeing and hearing, it occurred to me like never before that we have really stumbled onto something. The idea that Educate! could grow – substantially – suddenly became much more real.  The reasons are twofold: the program model we’ve designed, and the results-driven organization we’ve built behind it.

Early Success of Our Program Model

We’ve had several strong validations of our program’s success already, both internally and externally.  Internally, two examples stand out:

1. 76% of our students have taken on a new leadership role.  To be honest, this statistic didn’t mean very much to me until I went to Uganda and saw that many of the schools’ student officers were Educate! Scholars – though most weren’t before.  Several teachers told me that Educate! Scholars were taking on greater leadership roles in their schools. These teachers told me that they wished more students could benefit from Educate!’s program. 
   
   
2. Educate! Scholars have started 48 community initiatives and 12 business in less than a year.  This is a massive number, and it includes many businesses – like Mbale High’s flower growing business or Royal High’s hair salon – that were started with no seed capital.  But what surprised me, along with the rest of the Educate! team, was how many initiatives, mostly businesses, were created by students during the holiday break after their first year as Educate! Scholars.  The level of leadership exhibited by such young students is inspiring, and has far exceeded our expectations.

Externally, we are seeing increasing interest in adoption of our program model:

1. AfricAid in Tanzania, another winner of Ashoka Changemakers Quality Education in Africa Award, is directly replicating our program, and 15 other organizations worldwide are using our curriculum.
   
   
2. SOS Children’s Villages, a major international NGO, paid Educate! $1,100 to run a condensed three-week version of our program for 9 of their students.  This might say the most about how far our amazing team has taken our program – someone is willing to pay us for it already!

These internal and external validations helped show me the degree to which our programs have developed in such a short time – it is, after all, just a year and a half since Emily and Angelica first arrived in Uganda.  I can’t wait to see us build on this progress over the next few years. 

A Results– and Feedback–Driven Organization

Furthermore, I was thoroughly impressed by the organization and culture put in place by Emily and Angelica.   A few things stood out to me:

1. Drive for results – One of Educate!’s mentors, Esther, told me that she liked working for Educate! due to our results-driven culture.  Every term, the mentors have clear, measurable goals for their students, and students are evaluated by their success in meeting those goals.
   
   
2. Focus on feedback – Every Monday, the mentors all get together with program support staff and discuss what worked and didn’t work the previous week, and what needs to improve for the following week.  Teachers and administration provide formal feedback every trimester about what can be improved.  Even in the classroom, students discuss what worked and what should be changed at the end of each trimester.  This emphasis on feedback has led to a rapidly evolving, and, more importantly, a much improved program model.
   
   
3. Professional development – Almost all of our mentors told me that they have grown tremendously since joining Educate!.  Why, I asked?  Because Emily and Angelica, as well as great support staff like Maggie Sheahan and Rachel Santos, have put so much energy into their development.  It shows!  The mentors all have great presence and command true respect in their classrooms.  From all I saw, they contribute to the development of the program model every week. 
   
   
4. Dedication of our team - Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, I was inspired by the dedication of our staff in Uganda.  Each and every member of our team puts everything they have into their work – from Emily and Angelica, to Maggie and Rachel, our intrepid volunteers, to our 14 amazing mentors, and even our support staff.  For all I knew we were a startup working in the Silicon Valley - everyone passionately works 60+ hours a week and burnout is more of an issue than lack of effort - except everyone is making little to no money for all their effort.  They are just transforming the lives of 830 16-18 year old youth in Uganda.

Our vision is to make our program model easily replicable so it can spread and be adopted by schools, NGO’s and eventually governments in other parts of Africa and beyond. These two achievements – a strong, externally validated program model and a results- and feedback-driven culture – show me that we’re firmly on the right track, and that we have a real opportunity to achieve our vision. 

Thanks to everyone who has helped us get here, and to those who will help us continue moving towards where we want to be. 

From left to right, Patrice, Charlotte, Jackie, Violet and Christine listen as Hawah presents on last weekend’s retreat in Kyangwali. 
This year the Educate! team decided to try a new kind of recruiting strategy. By teaching a 5 week Leadership Educator Course, we were able to further our goal of inspiring teachers to empower their students through their education. At the same time, we watched all trainees in action over 5 weeks of challenges and growth to truly test who had the most potential to teach the Educate! curriculum as an Educate! Mentor…  

We trained a total of 25 university graduates from many different backgrounds. The course culminated with each participant planning and implementing their own out-of- school youth workshop, covering topics from health to growing a business to marketing to mushroom growing. They recruited 20 local youth from the community for a 3 hour session of both practical skills and mentoring.  

The result was an outstanding new mentor class of 3 men and 5 women, all from extremely diverse backgrounds and experiences. Partnering these new recruits with the first (now very experienced) mentor class will create a dynamic duo at each partner school, deepening the support and impact we have on the 800 Educate! students this year.  

First…the ladies…  

Christine (25) is the deep-thinker. She graduated top of her class from Makerere University with a BA in Tourism. However, instead of driving safari buses, she has instead started women’s groups (poultry for income), worked as a primary school teacher, traveled to Australia for a youth leadership nonprofit and has experience in peer to peer empowerment teams.

Hawah (23) is the sporty one. She is our first Muslim mentor which we are very excited about. We hope her BA in Sports Science from Kyambogo University will serve her well in the many activities in the leadership course. Hawah volunteered to counsel young girls on how to use social entertainment events for social good. She enjoys teaching volleyball, netball (the British version of basketball) and soccer in rural areas to empower children.

Jackie (28) is the brainy one. Our first mentor from Northern Uganda, she’s very tall and a little serious. But, she has a great smile and a secret store of energy that we love to see. Jackie will use her BA in Management Science from Kyambogo University to excel as a dual mentor and office staff. Her passion is running community projects through her church ministry such as voluntary rubbish collection, road repair and house repair.

Violet (24) is the female empowerment one. Our Mbale mentor from class one, Esther Nakiirye, recruited Violet at a women’s entrepreneurship workshop. A graduate from Kampala International University with a BA in Business Administration, Violet is already a powerful female leader in Mbale, an easter region of Uganda where Educate! runs its program. Out of our new mentor class she has the most experience as a community mobilizer.

Charlotte (25) is the mother hen. She is our most experienced teacher (and former head teacher!) with a BA in Education from Kyambogo University. She wanted to leave the teaching profession to have a greater direct impact on youth, moving beyond the classroom setting to provide more mentorship. Then…she found Educate! She’ll be working with 3 partner schools and an orphanage in Kampala city centre.  
 
 
Above, Educate!’s newest class of mentors listen as Eric welcomes them to the Educate! team, via a conference call.

And now…the men…  

Richard (22) is the smile. He is the baby of the class but also the fastest learner. He has a BA in Procurement and Logistics Management from Kyambogo University. Why he studied that we have no idea, but he then worked as an HIV/AIDs peer educator providing counseling and advocacy to students and community leaders. He is partnering with the best smile from our first mentor class, Solomon Kayiwa.

George (24) is the entrepreneur. With a BA in Commerce, Accounting and Finance from Makerere University, he was the leader of his university’s AISEC microfinance and entrepreneurship project. We hope that his business skills will push our student entrepreneurship clubs to new heights. His future vision is to run his own social business.

Patrice (30) is the big daddy. Self-described as having a “Congolese nose,” Patrice is both a source of laughter and comfort. With a BA in Social Science from Makerere University, Patrice has been self employed since 2005 through his fish farm business. He has also worked as a financial services officer, managed to secure funds from the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund for a community water source, and started a self-help bee keeping project in his community.

We’re extremely excited about the potential of our new mentor class and look forward to sharing their success stories with you in the future. BOOYAKASHA!

Educate! love,

Emily & Angelica



Courtesy of Jessica Ryan

The highlights of the event included a speech by Congressman Jared Polis, live performance by FACE, a nationally recognized Boulder-based vocal rock band, and a wonderful silent auction. Downtown Boulder’s  Rembrandt Yard Art Gallery & Event Center hosted the sold out event, holding 300 Colorado supporters who made the Ball a success.  Each ticket purchased sponsored a student through two months of the Educate! Experience.

Courtesy of Erica Lindberg of CU Independent
Educate! greatly appreciates all the support from Bay Window Catering, Whole Foods, BJ’s Pizza Grill & Brewery, Asher Brewery, Superior Liquors, FACE, Rembrandt Yard, Hotel Boulderado, Crocs, Sunflower Preschool, and the many other local and national companies who donated items for the silent auction and made the event possible.

Above, a standard classroom at Green Hill College, one of Educate!’s partner schools. 

How many people today know about all the problems Africa faces: poverty, disease, corruption, and environmental degradation? Thousands. But, how many people believe that African’s themselves are capable of solving these problems? Not many. With all the exposure Africa receives through news stories featuring the spread of HIV/AIDS, and Hollywood movies portraying the down-trodden and poor, it is understandable that most people see the enormity in Africa’s struggle and forget about the potential within Africans to solve their society’s greatest challenges. Educate! unlocks this potential in students to solve their community’s greatest problems.    

The question is how… 

Today I am at Green Hill College, shadowing James, an Educate! Mentor (teacher). The brick walls have square shaped holes where window panes might have been. I rub my fingers against the brick; it crumbles gently to dust and stone. The floors leave my shoes covered in red dirt. The roof claps and tings as the rain falls heavy on the rusty tin. This is Green Hill College.

James teaches the Educate! curriculum at Green Hill College every Tuesday. On this rainy afternoon, ten students sit on wooden benches as James breaks down market strategy. The lesson is called “Thinking Differently About Business.” It teaches how to differentiate one’s business from the competition, focusing on four categories: Price, Market, Ownership, and Ethics. The students gather in a group to discuss the business they have started— a fruit seedling business. They can cut costs by collecting and germinating seeds from around their school (price). They can sell them to the local community by leveraging the trust that is connected to the school (market). And they can give back by distributing 10% of their tree seedlings to the poor people they know, at no cost (ethics). It looks like they hit almost all the marks!

 I  buy a mango seedling after class. They are using part of their profits to host an entrepreneurship conference next week. They have invited neighboring schools and will pass on the knowledge they have learned through Educate! about business practices and public speaking to students their own age. Last week they cleaned the community well. They are gaining confidence through this experience. For the first time in their lives they are being told that they not only can think about business, but that they have a responsibility to think about their communities. This is empowerment in action. We are empowering them to become something more, not just for themselves, but for everyone around them.

Above Educate! students from Green Hill College celebrate after cleaning a community well near their school.

Educate! does not ask for donations to buy malaria nets, HIV drugs, food relief, or to build schools. We ask for donations to teach high school students in Uganda how to do all these things on their own. 

Without Educate!, the students at Green Hill College would only learn what is included in Uganda’s curriculum. They are lucky to receive an education, but would never be taught the practical skills they need to address their community’s most pressing problems. Their education would not foster a culture of social responsibility. They would lack adults in their lives who push them to become leaders. Without Educate!, our students would still face the same problems they do today- poverty, HIV/AIDS, poor water, poor waste management, the list goes on… With Educate!, our students will become the solutions to these problems. 

Invest in the solution. Invest in Africa’s next generation of socially responsible leaders. Invest in Educate!. 
 

-Maggie Sheahan, Educate! Program Coordinator

It’s true.  There’s no shortage of vision within Educate!.

But the key for Educate! is how efficiently that vision is executed on.

The leadership of Educate! just finished a retreat in which we came to consensus around a well-articulated, long-term vision for the organization: if we are successful, after a period of time Educate!’s work will lead to every youth in Uganda gaining experience solving a social problem. This will be done not through Educate! single-handedly, but also through partnerships with key institutions in Uganda: schools, churches, the private sector, and the government.  It is a bold vision, but it will undoubtedly create a significant shift in the ability of the next generation to build a better society and solve the critical challenges Uganda, and much of the developing world, is facing: poverty, disease, violence, and environmental degradation.

With a vision to guide us, our focus is now on execution.

There are several key pieces that must fall into place for Educate! to be able to effectively execute on this vision.  The first is focus.  Without being distracted by the many directions the organization can take, or issues we can tackle, Educate! must maintain a strong focus on building the model of education we provide, and making that model the absolute highest quality possible.  Take microfinance for an example.  It took Yunus and others twenty years of focus to create the model for microfinance that could then be spread around the world to lift millions out of poverty.  In that early stage, Educate! must also stay focused on the model, recognizing that doing so will mean there are directions and opportunities that must be turned down.

The second piece are internal systems within the organization.  By this we mean 1. The decision making processes within the organization (i.e. how do we choose what to do, and just as importantly, what not to do?), 2. A communication plan that enables the team to effectively share knowledge, lessons, and mistakes across two continents, and 3. Perhaps most importantly, a system for everyone in the organization to know what are the highest priorities of their work, and therefore focus first on accomplishing those priorities.  With so many directions an organization like Educate! can move, these internal systems are meant to help us stay on track and efficiently move towards the end goal.

Finally, and this may be the most important piece of effectively executing on the above vision: metrics.  Take an analogy.  When driving, if one always knows the miles per gallon he/she is using, it is much easier to tailor the speed, braking, and acceleration to drive efficiently and maximize the mpg.  It is the same with Educate!’s metrics.  If we have a clear gauge that tells us our progress towards the vision, we can tailor the specifics of the program to more effectively accomplish the goal.  If microfinance was the example for focus, Teach for America (TFA) is an excellent example of a highly effective use of metrics.  Everything TFA does is driven by one metric: bridging the gap of the test scores of low-income kids.  Their entire recruitment process, training, and alumni program are all focused on this one number, and for that reason, aside from any controversy around their work, TFA is one of the most well-managed non-profits in the world today.  As Educate! solidifies the equivalent metric for our work, we will be able to setup feedback loops to refine the program, and manage the organization towards efficiently reaching that metric.

The above three pieces are all on the top of our minds for two reasons: 1. Building these three pieces into the fabric of the organization, especially now at a young stage, will enable us to most effectively use donor’s money to accomplish our shared vision, and 2. We all know that the best way to help our Scholars, and ultimately the community members our Scholars help, is by effectively and efficiently managing the organization towards our goals.  Balancing the vision with effective execution is a challenge, to say the least.  But vision without execution is like a match without a rock - so much wasted potential to create a better world. 

Educate! staff, volunteers and interns in Colorado are busy planning an event to raise money for students in Uganda: Educate!’s Annual Ball—For the Future of Uganda with special musical guest FACE on Saturday
February 6, at Rembrandt Yard Art Gallery & Event Center, 1301 Spruce Street, in Boulder. The event is from 5:30-11 p.m. and will include hundreds of Colorado supporters, dancing, live music, a silent auction, raffle and refreshments.

“We’re thrilled to hold an event that gathers our community together and at the same time helps our students in Uganda to transform their communities,” said Eric Glustrom. “Our hope for the event is to connect our supporters here to the Educate! students in Uganda and raise funds to empower our students to solve the critical challenges facing their communities.”

Tickets are $50 per person, $40 for students and $90 per couple. Each ticket sponsors a student through two months of the Educate! Experience and all proceeds go directly to the organization. Whether you come for the dancing and music, or the silent auction, raffle and refreshments, this will be a ball for all, so pull out your best and dress with no stress!

For more information about Educate!’s Annual Ball and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.experienceeducate.org/AnnualBall or email maya@experienceeducate.org

PS: FACE is an awesome all-vocal band. Check them out at: http://www.facevocalband.com/index.html

A group of 300 women walked together through Kampala to demonstrate their commitment to building strong female leadership in Uganda. On November 21, Educate! partnered with Vital Voices and other local organizations for Uganda’s first annual Women’s Mentoring Walk. The Women’s Mentoring Walk promoted the values Educate! strives for everyday— Responsible Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Empowerment— with a female spin. I was proud to watch Educate! Scholars experience the commitment Ugandans have to these values and even more excited to watch them build relationships with successful female leaders. “By agreeing to attend this event,” Winnie Lakowo announced to the group, “every woman here has signed herself over to a mentoring relationship. They have signed over the next 20 years of their lives, and they are committed to guiding young women into a generation of powerful leaders in Uganda.”

The Women’s Mentoring Walk occurs all over the world, Uganda being one of eight countries to participate. This year, we were honored to host Geraldine Laybourne, former president of ABC and founder of Oxygen Media. She inspired the initial idea of a Women’s Mentoring Walk through her work with Vital Voices. As she walked with women and girls through Kampala, she extended an ear and offered advice to some of Educate!‘s Scholars. “I promise to return when you become a surgeon. I don’t know what surgery I will need, but I’ll be sure to figure it out before then,” she said jokingly to Nina, a student from Gayaza High School.

Following the forty-five minute walk, everyone listened to inspiring women speak. A young woman told her story of establishing one of Uganda’s most successful fish farm. She encouraged the young girls to become entrepreneurs, despite discouraging circumstances. “At first, I was ridiculed for my work and everyone called me Fish Girl. Now I am able to support not just myself, but my parents and all my siblings too.” Another woman told her story of overcoming blindness to become a lawyer in Kampala. A student from one of Educate!’s partner schools read a poem she wrote about female empowerment and the importance of mentorship in her life. After the program ended I scanned the gardens where it was held; women searched for business cards, wrote down their contacts, and checked appointment books for time to schedule follow up meetings.

Above Educate! Scholars Resty and Victoria from Namugongo Vocational Secondary School talk with Norine Kaleeba at the Women’s Mentoring Walk. Norine is the founder of The Aids Support Organizaton (TASO), one of the largest AIDS-based NGO’s in Uganda.

Educate! Scholars found the opportunity to speak to a variety of female leaders. I asked one of them who mentored her. She answered, “I talked to the first female pastor in Uganda. She spoke to us about the courage that is needed to break through stereotypes. She also talked about the importance of persistence, and to never give up.” Another Scholar came up to me afterwards with a huge smile on her face “Thank you so much for inviting me,” she said, “I have found a mentor!”

The Women’s Mentoring Walk demonstrated the support Educate! has from the larger Kampala community in reinforcing the values of socially responsible leadership. It also showed that there are hundreds of women who are committed to the project of empowerment, giving the Educate! programs even more strength. Our Scholars learned about the potential women have to make a difference in their cities, towns, and communities. It proved to me that Educate! is part of a larger movement, a movement for positive social change through strong local leadership.

For months the Aga Khan Educate! Club struggled to start a socially responsible project. They struggled, until they met Juma Moshin, a man who runs a literacy program in one of Kampala’s poorest slums. Moshin’s literacy center, People Concerned Children’s Project, emerged from nothing more than his own ability to read and write, a donated space from a neighboring woman, and out-of-school youth’s desire to learn. After seeing all Moshin had done with the little resources available to him, the Aga Khan Educate! Scholars felt inspired. They decided that if he could do so much with so little, they could certainly do some good with what they had. Upon meeting Moshin and seeing what a positive impact looked like, a project idea came easily. They planned to create a theme week within their school: Acting to Transform Lives. During this week they would raise money to support the literacy center, and through the process I would watch them transform the entire culture of their school.

Aga Khan High School and Moshin’s literacy program, People Concerned Children’s Project, are two educational centers within a five kilometer radius of each other. But yet, in reality, they are worlds apart. Aga Khan High School is a prestigious school. The students of Aga Khan High School come from a formidable list of Who’s Who in Uganda’s social economic circles. The school is fully equipped with the best education facilities in Kampala — meticulously maintained classrooms, well stocked science laboratories, and multiple sports fields.

In contrast, People Concerned Children’s Project is located in the muddy slums just outside the city center. It is run by Moshin and two other men, with few resources at their disposal. It is a make-do learning center by day and a video shack by night. Benches double as desks, the floor is dirt and mud, and the walls and roof are made up of tin. The children come from poor backgrounds, with jobless parents or no guardians at all. There are no fancy classrooms and no full time teachers. Nevertheless education occurs here five days a week.

Understanding all that they had, our Educate! Scholars from Aga Khan partnered with Moshin to raise money for the eighty-six children in his literacy center. They recognized all the obstacles they would have to overcome: they needed administration support, time in the busy school schedule, and most importantly, interest on the part of the students.

The Educate! Scholars met with the administration and convinced them to visit People Concerned Children’s Project. Juliet Sseruwagi, the head mistress, visited the center, and the sight of true poverty flooded her spirit. She pledged to support the Educate! Club in all its efforts. The ball was now rolling! The Educate! Scholars even researched and presented a report on their project idea. Within one month the Educate! Scholars convinced the school administration to set aside a week dedicated to the Educate! Club’s project.

To raise funds, the Educate! scholars borrowed 120,000 Ugandan Shillings, approximately $60 dollars. They invested this money in snacks to sell during class breaks. Within forty minutes their initial stock sold out. They re-invested again and again. Right in front of my eyes I saw a strong sales machine at work, with everyone playing their role to ensure that they all succeeded.

The Scholars showed the movie Slumdog Millionaire, charged admission, and donated the profits to People Concerned Children’s Project. The school administration put off a whole afternoon of academic programs for the event. It is then that it dawned on me; the scholars had transformed into movers and shakers in their school.

In all, they raised 700,000 Ugandan Shillings in profit (approximately $350 dollars) in only three days— almost six times their initial investment! In addition, they collected clothes, scholastic materials, toys, and other goods to donate to Moshin’s students. They even brought the nursery and primary administration on board to mobilize the younger kids to donate food stuff. They received items worth over 3 million Ugandan Shillings (approximately $1,500 US dollars). The Educate! club was instantly transformed from a little known entity into a club to reckon with. The Student Council even consulted the Educate! Club to run a fundraiser for another development project. The Scholars have started a movement within their school, and on every level the students and staff rallied around the Educate! Scholars dedication to social action.

After the assembly, the Educate! Club and the People Concerned Children’s Project kids shared lunch together. I watched my Scholars learn how far their potential stretched. Their efforts awarded them respect among teachers and classmates. As the two groups of students ate, I realized that it was not my scholars alone who created this change within their school culture, and it was not only Moshin’s students who benefited from the Educate! Theme week. Both sides grew in the collaboration between the Educate! Scholars and People Concerned Children’s Project. The bridges that were built this term between Educate! and People Concerned Children’s Project taught me that change is always a two way street, and I was pleased to see the transformation that took place on both ends.

- James Katumba, Educate! Mentor