RISE International, NFP

The overall goal is to build schools in Angola to give out-of-school children access to primary education. Our objective is to give a starting point to facilitate education, providing the critical infrastructure where learning takes place for children who have been affected by years of war and its aftermath, poverty, disease, and lack of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and clean water.

RISE raises money in the US and grants funds to RISE Angola, our implementing partner with direct responsibility and oversight of projects, reporting to RISE International. The Angolan leadership team guides the vision and manages the building of the schools. Local volunteers participate, establishing a sense of ownership, commitment to the process and to the education of their children. Upon completion, the schools are turned over to the community and the Ministry of Education, who hires and pays the teachers and supplies textbooks, chalkboards, and desks.

RISE delegates decision-making and authority on the ground to our team in Angola. RISE Angola leadership develops local partnerships, assesses village needs and selects school sites in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. They hire and oversee construction teams, provide and implement building plans, purchase and deliver materials, and submit required documentation. We receive reports of expenditures and photos from the field, and travel to Angola.

Our model works – it is collaborative, scalable and has a proven track record of success. RISE has a solid reputation, established network, relationships, and experience in a difficult place. We have successfully implemented our Schools for Angola program since 2003, and the impact will continue. RISE will remain focused on its mission to build schools, continuously refining and improving what we do. As the organization grows, it is also critical to implement best practices, develop leaders, and expand organizational infrastructure both in the US and Angola.

Since 2003, RISE has built 196 primary schools, giving over 142,000 students the chance to go to school each year. Jobs have been provided for building teams, teachers and principals. Wells at school sites provide clean water and allow for education about water, sanitation, health and nutrition. RISE has drilled wells at 30 school sites since 2009, with 2 wells funded by Rotary in 2021 and one in 2022.