Most people would agree, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Nowhere is this more evident than in Uganda where close to 11,000 community volunteers from the non profit Building Tomorrow are on the frontlines, mobilizing household caregivers to enroll their children in school and learning programs they offer.
Their impact is staggering. A randomized controlled trial found that less than three hours of phone-based tutoring by these community volunteers delivered the equivalent of over one year of high-quality schooling to more than 300,000 Ugandan school children during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is critical considering that 90% of 9 year olds in Uganda are behind grade-level in basic math.
Through its Community Education Volunteer Program (CEV), Building Tomorrow, an Ugandan-based NGO working to transform Uganda’s education system has provided training and support to aspiring change makers in villages throughout Uganda, empowering them to become education advocates who connect youth with foundational learning opportunities. The CEVs range in age from 17 to 70 and come from all walks of life.
They are farmers, educators, shopkeepers, parents, and more, all united by the common goal of igniting change in their communities and ensuring that all children in their village have access to learning.
These frontline volunteers represent a new, efficient and effective approach not just for education, but other key areas such as health or during future emergencies. During Covid the CEVs were essential in ensuring children in villages were being educated during one of the world’s longest school closures of nearly two years.
Now that schools have reopened across the country, CEVs are working tirelessly to ensure learners return to the classroom. They have had thousands of conversations at churches, gathering places, community meeting points, and neighbors’ homes to ensure caregivers send their children back to school.
The CEV intervention has the potential to reshape the way in which education and learning gaps are addressed in low-income or emergency-stricken geographies.
Ruth, a 10-year old from a rural village in Uganda, fell behind in school. Through personalized instruction she received the support she needs beyond the schoolhouse walls in a community based camp. The conditions might have been rudimentary, as Ruth would use dirt and a stick to practice reading and writing, but the results were clear. Ruth is now able to read, write stories and is at grade level in math. This is one example of the many successes of the organization’s work.
George Srour who co-founded Building Tomorrow and serves as its CEO helped to develop this innovative model. He is available to talk about the program in-depth as are a few of the Community Education Volunteers.