Building Tomorrow

Building Tomorrow is an international social-profit organization focused on expanding access to primary education in Sub-Saharan Africa, with its documented school-building work concentrated in Uganda. Rather than operating as a conventional commercial brand, it functions as a nonprofit education-infrastructure initiative that combines student-led fundraising, community labor, architectural and engineering partnerships, and cooperation with public education authorities. The organization grew out of George Srour's experience as a United Nations intern in Uganda. During that visit, Srour observed that many children lacked access to adequate schools and that existing facilities were often overcrowded and inefficient. After returning to the College of William & Mary, he organized a December 2004 fundraising campaign called Christmas in Kampala. Students raised almost $45,000, enough to support construction of a primary academy in Kampala. The resulting school, later known as Meeting Point Kampala, opened in May 2006. Srour subsequently received the inaugural Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose, which helped him turn school construction and education access into a full-time vocation. Building Tomorrow was established as the continuing organization for that work. Its model is based on identifying communities with especially limited access to primary schooling and then forming construction partnerships with local residents and leaders. Building Tomorrow chapters and supporters provide challenge grants intended to cover construction materials, while communities contribute land where possible and commit substantial volunteer labor. The organization has described a typical academy as having seven classrooms covering primary grades P1 through P7, administrative space, a library, meeting areas, toilets, and an outdoor field, with capacity for approximately 325 students. Community committees participate in planning and construction, giving local stakeholders responsibility for the project from its beginning. Once a school is complete, Building Tomorrow leases the facility to the local government for day-to-day management. Under arrangements connected with Uganda's Universal Primary Education policy and a memorandum of understanding with Building Tomorrow, the Ugandan Ministry of Education has been expected to finance teachers' salaries and other recurring operating costs. The model therefore separates capital construction, supported by Building Tomorrow and its network, from continuing public-school administration. The organization's fundraising network has included student chapters at more than 25 colleges and universities, a partnership with Key Club International, and a network of young professionals. Its best-known campus activity, Bike to Uganda, uses stationary bicycles and campus competitions to symbolize the distance to Kampala while raising funds for an academy. Building Tomorrow has also used digital outreach, including an education-cost calculator introduced in 2011 that compared the estimated cost of U.S. primary education with the potential cost of educating children in Uganda. The documented school portfolio includes academies supported by universities, service organizations, families, foundations, civic groups, and corporate or professional partners. Examples include the academies at Lutisi, Buwasa, Kiyamba, Gita, Sentigi, Jomba, Bubeezi, Nakaseeta, Kyeitabya, Kidula, Kibimba, Lukindu, Bugabo, Kabasegwa, Mabaale, and Mayira. In September 2011, Building Tomorrow announced a Clinton Global Initiative commitment to build 60 academies over five years and to train more than 450 current and future educators while developing a curriculum suited to rural Ugandan communities. A $500,000 contribution announced by President Bill Clinton in 2012 was described as the organization's largest single gift at that time. Building Tomorrow's public profile has also been shaped by recognition of its social-enterprise approach. Echoing Green named it among the world's promising emerging social-change organizations in 2007, and the Building Tomorrow Academy of Gita received design and education-related honors from the American Institute of Architects and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. Founder George Srour was included in Forbes' 2012 30 Under 30 list for social entrepreneurs. The supplied historical reference material reports that 27 academies were operating in Uganda and 11 more were under construction at the time of publication; the organization's current scale and status are not independently established here.

Building Tomorrow originated in George Srour's response to education conditions he encountered during a United Nations internship in Uganda. He returned to the College of William & Mary determined to help address shortages of safe, functional primary-school facilities. In December 2004, he organized Christmas in Kampala, a student campaign that raised nearly $45,000 for a primary academy in Kampala. The school opened in May 2006 and later became known as Meeting Point Kampala. The success of that effort led Srour to receive the inaugural Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose. The fellowship gave him the opportunity to make education infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa his full-time focus, and Building Tomorrow was formed as the organizational continuation of the Christmas in Kampala initiative. Building Tomorrow developed a partnership-based construction model. It sought communities where children had limited access to primary education, initially using government statistics to identify need and later receiving approaches directly from communities familiar with the organization's work. Local leaders and residents formed committees to oversee construction. Building Tomorrow chapters and supporters supplied challenge grants for construction materials, while community members contributed volunteer labor—described in the organization's historical account as more than 20,000 hours for each academy—and, for newer projects, land. The completed facilities were intended to become locally integrated public schools rather than independently operated campuses. Building Tomorrow leased each academy to local government for daily administration. Through Uganda's Universal Primary Education framework and a memorandum of understanding, the Ministry of Education undertook responsibility for teachers' salaries and other continuing operating expenses. The historical account states that the academies were fully staffed under this arrangement. The second academy, at Lutisi, was the first to open under the Building Tomorrow name. It was supported by Key Club International and opened in May 2008. The Buwasa academy, backed by Global Playground, opened in July 2008, followed by Kiyamba in June 2009 with support from Butler University students associated with Ambassadors for Children. The Gita academy, supported by the University of Virginia, opened on August 6, 2010. Its design involved University of Virginia engineering and architecture students through Architecture Studio reCOVER and the Engineering in Context Capstone Design Program. Gita later received a 2010 American Institute of Architects Education Honor Award and a 2011 Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Collaborative Practice Award. Other academies documented in the organization's historical record include Sentigi, supported by the University of Notre Dame and opened in October 2010; Jomba, supported by the city of Indianapolis and the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and opened in January 2011; Bubeezi, supported by the Engage Network and opened in January 2012; and Nakaseeta, opened in July 2012 with support from the Barakat family. Nakaseeta's design was connected to an Open Architecture Challenge conducted with Architecture for Humanity, with Gifford producing the winning structural design. Kyeitabya opened in August 2012 with support from the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture and the Walsh family. Later listed projects included Kidula, Kibimba, Lukindu, Bugabo, Kabasegwa, Mabaale, and Mayira, backed by a range of universities, families, foundations, student organizations, and service groups. Building Tomorrow expanded its fundraising base through student chapters at more than 25 colleges and universities, a relationship with Key Club International, and a Social Investment Council for young professionals. Bike to Uganda became its signature campus event. Participants used stationary bicycles over several days, competing in fundraising and mileage challenges while attempting to represent the distance to Kampala. Campus chapters also incorporated performances and appearances by local figures to attract participants and donors. In September 2011, the organization made a commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting to build 60 academies by 2016. The same commitment included training more than 450 current and future educators and producing a curriculum relevant to rural Ugandan communities. In July 2012, Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton visited the Gita academy. Later that year, Bill Clinton announced a $500,000 gift to support the commitment, reported as the largest single contribution Building Tomorrow had received at that point. The organization's public recognition included selection by Echoing Green in 2007 as one of 20 promising emerging social-change organizations worldwide and recognition by Austria's Waldzell Institute. Srour was named to Forbes' 2012 30 Under 30 list for social entrepreneurs. Building Tomorrow also received attention through Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who served as honorary chairman of its board and publicly associated education with poverty reduction and youth leadership. The supplied historical material reports that 27 Building Tomorrow academies were operating in Uganda and 11 were under construction at the time its account was prepared. It also reported that each academy was designed for approximately 325 pupils and included seven primary-grade classrooms, offices, library and meeting space, toilets, and a field. A reported example of educational performance was that nearly 90 percent of pupils at the Lutisi academy who took the 2010 Primary Leaving Examinations passed, with 10 continuing to secondary school through community and donor support. Current operational figures, leadership, and legal status are not established by the available reference material.

• 2012

  Clinton visit and major philanthropic gift

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  Bill and Chelsea Clinton visited the Gita academy, and Bill Clinton later announced a $500,000 contribution supporting Building Tomorrow's commitment.

• 2011

  Clinton Global Initiative commitment announced

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  Building Tomorrow committed to building 60 academies by 2016, training more than 450 educators, and developing a rural-relevant curriculum.

• 2010

  Gita academy opens and receives design recognition

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  The Gita academy opened on August 6 and subsequently received major architecture and collaborative-practice awards.

• 2008

  Lutisi academy opens

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  The second academy opened in May with support from Key Club International and became the first to operate under the Building Tomorrow name.

• 2007

  Recognized by Echoing Green

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  Building Tomorrow was named among Echoing Green's leading emerging social-change organizations.

• 2006

  First Kampala academy opens

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  The academy funded through Christmas in Kampala opened in May and later became known as Meeting Point Kampala.

• 2004

  Christmas in Kampala campaign begins

  [1]Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  George Srour launched a student fundraising campaign at the College of William & Mary to support construction of a primary academy in Kampala, Uganda.

A youth-powered, community-partnered social-profit organization that converts education fundraising and volunteer construction into durable primary-school infrastructure in underserved Ugandan communities.

• Primary-school infrastructure · 2006

  Building Tomorrow Academies

  Community-partnered primary schools developed in underserved Ugandan areas. The historical model describes a standard academy as including seven classrooms for P1 through P7, an office, library, meeting space, toilets, a field, and capacity for about 325 students. Construction is supported through challenge grants, local labor, and partner funding, while local government assumes daily administration after completion.

• Fundraising program

  Bike to Uganda

  A student-created campus fundraising event in which participants ride stationary bicycles over several days to symbolize the distance to Kampala. Chapters typically add mileage and fundraising competitions, entertainment, and campus-community participation, with proceeds directed toward construction of Building Tomorrow academies.

• Digital awareness tool · 2011

  Education-cost calculator

  An online tool introduced in 2011 that estimated the cost of a user's U.S. primary education and compared that figure with the potential number of children who could receive primary schooling in Uganda for a similar cost.

• 2011Clinton Global Initiative academy and educator commitment

  Uganda · United States

  Building Tomorrow announced a plan to build 60 academies over five years, train more than 450 educators, and develop curriculum suited to rural Ugandan communities.

  Outcome. The commitment received further support through a $500,000 contribution announced in 2012.

  Source
• 2004Christmas in Kampala

  United States · Uganda

  A College of William & Mary student campaign raised almost $45,000 to fund a primary academy in Kampala.

  Outcome. The supported school opened in May 2006 and became the organizational foundation for Building Tomorrow.

  Source
• Bike to Uganda

  United States · International university campuses

  Student chapters use stationary-bike rides, campus competitions, performances, and peer fundraising to raise the cost of constructing a primary academy.

  Outcome. The event became Building Tomorrow's most prominent and successful on-campus fundraising format, although aggregate results are not specified in the reference material.

  Source

• 2012

  Accept major Clinton Global Initiative contributionOther

  Background

  Building Tomorrow's academy expansion plan required substantial philanthropic support.

  Action taken

  The organization received or was pledged a $500,000 contribution announced by Bill Clinton at the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.

  Aftermath

  The gift was reported as Building Tomorrow's largest single contribution at that time.

  Contribution. $500,000 (2012)

  Source

• 2011

  Commitment to expand academy construction and educator trainingStrategy

  Background

  Building Tomorrow used the Clinton Global Initiative platform to formalize a multi-year expansion plan in response to limited primary-school access in rural Ugandan communities.

  Action taken

  The organization committed to building 60 academies by 2016, training over 450 current and future educators, and developing a rural-relevant curriculum.

  Aftermath

  A $500,000 gift announced by Bill Clinton in 2012 was intended to help support the commitment. Completion of the full target is not established by the available sources.

  Source

1. 1Building Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org