ALL WE ARE INC

All We Are is on a mission to electrify 50 schools and health centers in Uganda by 2022. Where there's power there's development. With sustainable solar solutions, communities no longer have to rely solely on power companies for light, refrigeration, and other needs. During times of load shedding, when grid power is shut off in the community, institutions with solar power still have electricity. This means, no more black-outs during study hours, increased safety at boarding schools, and the ability to hold vaccines at health centers. All We Are’s project design requires institutions to make annual sustainability payments that secure funds to ensure the longevity of the systems. When components need to be replaced or fixed, they are paid for with those funds. This means that communities can truly rely on solar power as a long term alternative to kerosene lamps and pricy, unreliable grid-power.

Priority area number one for the organization is completing 50 installations by 2022. Having successfully completed numerous installations, we have a proven solution that is creating a measurable impact for our partner institutions. At an average installation cost of $7,500 USD, our work is both financially viable and sustainable for the years to come. Reaching this 50 installation goal will cost an additional $150,000. The organization plans to meet this fundraising goal through financial support through grants and private contributions.

In 2014, All We Are signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rotary International District 9211. District 9211 consists of 140 clubs from Tanzania and Uganda with a membership of over 4,000. This collaboration has been integral in providing cultural awareness for the design and implementation of our projects as well as close relationships with local government and community leaders across Uganda. This unique partnership pairs our technical expertise with the strengths of Rotarians, including community needs assessments, professional skills, and local networks. Rotary clubs around the world have provided over $175,000 in funding for this program.

Our local partners have conducted community needs assessments and project locations have been identified. We have a strong pipeline of vetted opportunities, and with adequate funding, we could complete these projects in the next twenty-four months. In the next twelve months, we hope to complete the design, fundraising, and launch of implementation activities for our next 20 access to energy projects.

AWA currently has over 30 solar installations under management in Uganda. These projects have provided access to energy to over 30,000 people and created nearly 150 kW of renewable energy. Our partner communities can rely less on dirty energy sources like kerosene lamps and spend less on grid-power. Some institutions have reported more than 500% in cost decreases, and have been able to allocate funds to improve their ability to educate students and provide necessary health services. Many schools have also reported increases of up to 50% in the student population and drastic test score improvements. One of our electrified schools recently reported that of their 32 graduates, 28 passed with a first grade on their PLEs (Primary Leaving Exams) and the remaining 4 students passed with a second grade. In many schools, we have also installed security lights which ensures students’ safety at night. In addition to the positive changes we have seen in our partner institutions, we also hold our projects to a high caliber of sustainable practices. Solar components are sourced locally, to ensure that we are stimulating the Ugandan economy. All installs are implemented, managed and monitored by our paid in-country team, so we are also creating high-paying jobs in the process.