Since 2008, the Mwebaza Foundation has worked in partnership with schools across Uganda and Colorado. Our schools are connected through friendship and work together to ensure that students in Colorado and Uganda are receiving an education that prepares them to be the leaders their communities need.
The Mwebaza Foundation is special in many ways–from our approach to global citizenship education in the classroom to the ways in which we work alongside our partner communities overseas. We strive to be just in our approach, to inspire action in others, to allow others to flourish, and to build a legacy that impacts communities, spans oceans, and extends beyond our lifetimes. Part of this vision is accomplished through our endowment. We have the privilege of stewarding a gift from people passionate about the work that the Mwebaza Foundation is doing. And we now have the great task ahead of us to continue growing that gift. Why?
We are not like many other organizations out there. 100% of the proceeds from our in-school fundraisers go directly to projects at our partner schools. But in order for us to continue expanding this vision, we need to grow our endowment.
Currently, staff salaries are funded by a combination of interest drawn from the endowment and grants. We envision expanding roles, hiring more staff, investing in more personal and professional learning opportunities, and partnering with new schools and communities. In order to grow, the endowment has to grow too.
Eventually, we hope that the endowment will grow enough to fund the day-to-day expenses of the organization, pay salaries, purchase materials for special projects, and hire contractors and advisors to help us achieve our goals.
A gift to our endowment is an investment in the long-term vision of Mwebaza.
“This partnership has taught me that we should cooperate with others in order to solve different issues.”
— Namponah Shifra, P7
“With the Mwebaza Foundation, I am working as a team with different people from the world to develop and learn skills to organize and involve our communities. ”
— Rachael, educator at St. Paul Primary
“My involvement with the Mwebaza Foundation has joined two of my biggest passions: Art and Equity. The creativity and momentum we inspire feel genuine, and the projects we create are relatable and memorable. Students are able to connect their creative process to problem-solving, creating welcoming spaces, and personal ties to students across the globe. ”
— Lauren Mocilac, educator at Niwot Elementary
We create new pathways that inspire global citizenship and foster sustainable change through cross-cultural education and investment in social enterprise.
We desire a world in which all people are equipped with the education and skills to build sustainable and just futures.
We are an educational organization that embraces decolonizing practices to build alternative structures in the nonprofit space centered on understanding, solidarity, and liberation.
We never set out to create or perpetuate dependency. However, as a nonprofit, we were trying to do work in a system that reinforces unequal power dynamics and the legacy of colonialism. Now, we understand that we don’t have to participate in these systems any longer. Through understanding, acknowledgment, education, and action, we can change.
We recognize that traditional aid structures perpetuate a colonialism legacy that upholds unequal power structures. In this understanding, we choose to operate in solidarity with our partner schools and communities to reclaim power in places where it is inequitable. By learning together, we grow increasingly equipped to build power from a place of equity. In that, we work together towards our shared mission.
Organization name
Mwebaza Foundation
2008
Tax id (EIN)
26-2254563
Category
Education
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
1103 Collyer StMailing
P.O. Box 353Boulder County, CO, US
Kampala, Central Region, UG
Larimer County, CO, US
Gulu, Northern Region, UG