Create Foundation
Children Rising Evolving & Achieving Through Empowerment
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
According to Education Policy Data Center, only 17% of children ages 13-18 attend Secondary School in Uganda. The problem is critical - 83% of children do not have access to secondary school. Efforts to address this challenge clearly aren’t enough. Previous methods have failed. In 1997, the Ugandan government introduced Universal Primary Education (the idea that all children should be able to attend primary school for free). And in 2007, after a UN report stated that Africa had the worst secondary school enrollment rates in the world, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni introduced Universal Secondary Education. Though this seemed like progress and enrollment rates did improve, but the quality of education in Uganda greatly suffered. With the rising of enrollment rates, there is a lack of teaching space, supplies, and demotivated, over-worked teachers. Facilities at many schools are poor, and often classes have extreme overcrowding, in many cases as many as a 400:1 student teacher ratio.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Create Academy - School & Empowerment Community in rural Uganda
Create will provide a solution to one of Uganda's most critical problems - lack of educational opportunities. In Uganda, there is no taxation system implemented that covers public schooling like in many other countries. If a child wants to attend school, they must pay tuition to attend every single term. Not only that, but schools often require students to purchase a uniform, and bring a list of requirements (notebooks, pens/paper, soap, cleaning supplies, money for food) and those requirements alone are often unaffordable for families struggling to make ends meet. With many families having multiple children, the task to find money for each child's tuition becomes nearly impossible. Children are often forced to drop out at an early age to help their parents work and provide necessities like food, clean water and medicine at home. Many children drop out to begin work with the hope of one day returning, but most do not. in fact, 66% of children in Uganda drop out of school by grade 6. This is unacceptable.
For most children, poverty is the direct factor in their dropping out. With the average family in rural areas earning an average of only $81USD per month, and the average family having 4-6 children, school fees that equal anywhere between $50-$220 USD per term are simply out of reach. Poverty directly leads to dropouts, which also leads directly to child labor, increase in child marriages and pregnancies. According to UNICEF, “Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest proportion of child laborers (28% of children ages 5-14 years). Access to education helps to reduce poverty, one of the root cases of child labor.” UIS/GEM Report also states that “420 million people would be lifted out of poverty with a secondary education, thus reducing the number of poor worldwide by more than half.”
We believe that an education is not a luxury, but a basic human right. It is essential for human development. Every child deserves the opportunity to go to school… to live a better life. Create Academy can change this! We will be directly helping to solve this problem by constructing and operating a school which will provide 150 children per year a free education! Our students will not only be provided a quality education, but they will join a community where they are empowered, encouraged and uplifted! We will prepare our future students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become productive members of society. With their high school diploma and the life skills and confidence they will gain at Create, children will be prepared to secure better paying jobs which will allow them to better provide for their families, create more stable home environments, create businesses, stimulate their local economies and better their communities. They will be empowered to become productive members of society, and be the generation that will continue to change and evolve their country for the better, taking critical steps forward in creating a more self-reliant Africa.
Create Academy will not only transform the lives of the thousands of children the school will serve, but also positively impact local communities. The school will provide dozens of Ugandans job opportunities where they can earn a fair wage, and give back to the community by utilizing our classroom space outside of school hours for adult-ed classes, computer skills and job training opportunities, as well as community outreach initiatives which will include: Women’s empowerment and leadership building seminars, and activities where locals can learn critical life skills like budgeting, how to prepare a resume, and job interview preparation.
Where we work
External reviews

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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of jobs provided to local community
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Related Program
Create Academy - School & Empowerment Community in rural Uganda
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2019, as we were scouting the land for our future school & empowerment community, we employed Ugandans living locally in the following positions: Attorneys, land surveyors, community liaison, etc.
Number of community members directly impacted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults
Related Program
Create Academy - School & Empowerment Community in rural Uganda
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
As Create Foundation moves forward with the construction of our school & community, we are working with members of the local villages we are serving, they will be our future students, staff, etc.
Dropout percentage of community members ages 13-18
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Create Academy - School & Empowerment Community in rural Uganda
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
86% of children ages 13-18 living in local villages have dropped out of school due to poverty & lack of school fees.
Number of children who have access to education
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Create Academy - School & Empowerment Community in rural Uganda
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Children in local villages do not have access to education after P7 (grade 6). There are no secondary schools in close proximity. Children in the area have no options. Our school will change this.
Number of people who now have access to clean drinking water
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Related Program
Create Academy - School & Empowerment Community in rural Uganda
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In 2020, Create Foundation constructed a clean water well on our land in Madu Village, Mukono, Uganda which is now providing clean and safe drinking water for hundreds of people of local villages.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Create Foundation’s mission is to give children a second chance! We are building a school in rural Uganda which will provide 150 students per year a free education. While most Ugandan schools are lacking - from underpaid, overworked teachers that are not always present, to poor facilities, severe overcrowding (sometimes as many as 400:1 student-to-teacher ratio), to unsanitary conditions, the Ugandan school system is failing children. C.R.E.A.T.E. ACADEMY will be different from any other school in Uganda; a progressive educational institution for underprivileged children that supports all learners earning academic achievement through a thoughtfully-planned curriculum, and a warm, caring approach by teachers and staff who listen, motivate and empower. Children will never, ever be charged a fee. Families can finally have peace of mind knowing that they will never again have to chose between their next meal, or seeking medical attention, and their child going to school.
Not only that, but the school will provide dozens of Ugandans job opportunities where they can earn a fair wage, and give back to the community by utilizing our classroom space outside of school hours for adult-ed classes, computer skills and job training opportunities, as well as community outreach initiatives which include: Women’s empowerment and leadership building seminars, and activities where locals can learn critical life skills like budgeting, how to prepare a resume, and job interview preparation.
What makes C.R.E.A.T.E. Academy most unique, is our approach - to not just teach, but to empower. C.R.E.A.T.E. aims to serve a greater purpose… it will not just be a school, it will be a community, an epicenter of learning, opportunity, skills training, and economic growth. It will transform the lives of its students, but also the men and women it employs and trains, the communities served through outreach initiatives, the fruit/vegetable garden which will supply food, the shops which will provide jobs and goods, the adult education classes and salon school which will teach adults valuable skills which will enable them to secure jobs, the welding shop which will provide services as well as valuable skills and entrepreneurship opportunities, and more. C.R.E.A.T.E. Academy is unique to any other school in Uganda, any other community. We will not be there to share some knowledge and leave… we will be there to actively engage communities and provide valuable, powerful skills and resources needed to create dramatic, lasting change for thousands of vulnerable people.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
What C.R.E.A.T.E. Academy will provide, is a unique solution to this problem. It will provide children - dropouts due to poverty, the life-changing second chance to attend school, completely free of charge. Our team will literally go out into villages and find children that have dropped out of school, that have been overlooked. The most vulnerable children will have the unique opportunity to receive the type of quality education that only the wealthiest elite of the country have access to. The school will also have adopt a unique approach. In many schools in Uganda, children are often treated without much care. They are dictated to, discouraged from asking questions or really participating in their own learning process, and many school still practice “caning” (hitting) students when they misbehave or even answer a question incorrectly. We believe that children deserve better. We believe children who are respected, uplifted and encouraged are the ones who reach their fullest potential. Children who feel safe in their environment, who do not fear to ask questions, but who feel comfortable sharing and learning, they will reach new heights. Create’s very foundation is built upon this approach. This type of program is virtually unheard of in Uganda, but will have tremendous positive impact. Class size will be kept small, a 25:1 student to teacher ratio, with only qualified teachers hired, who share our vision. Teachers will be readily available to answer questions and help students after class, be prepared to cater to their specific needs and to encourage creativity. This approach will ensure students success. Students will feel motivated and empowered, and therefore, attendance and grades will skyrocket, and the likelihood of a child completing his/her education will greatly improve.
What makes C.R.E.A.T.E. Academy most unique, is our approach - to not just teach, but to empower. C.R.E.A.T.E. aims to serve a greater purpose… it will not just be a school, it will be a community, an epicenter of learning, opportunity, skills training, and economic growth. It will transform the lives of its students, but also the men and women it employs and trains, the communities served through outreach initiatives, the fruit/vegetable garden which will supply food, the shops which will provide jobs and goods, the adult education classes and salon school which will teach adults valuable skills which will enable them to secure jobs, the welding shop which will provide services as well as valuable skills and entrepreneurship opportunities, and more. C.R.E.A.T.E. Academy is unique to any other school in Uganda, any other community. We will not be there to share some knowledge and leave… we will be there to actively engage communities and provide valuable, powerful skills and resources needed to create dramatic, lasting change for thousands of vulnerable people.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Create Foundation is comprised of an eclectic group of people passionate about making a difference for some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Our organization is made up of members with unique and special skill sets that have prepared us to see this life-changing project though to fruition. Our Founder, Jennifer Kirabo, has over 10 years experience in non-profit leadership, specifically, spearheading and carrying out successful programs in Uganda. She Founded and launched “Filmanthropy” a program which introduced the creative arts to children in rural Uganda. She was responsible for developing, organizing and executing the program, which allowed children the opportunity to express themselves creatively, gain critical communicative and interpersonal skills, and build confidence. We have a team of professionals in the U.S., with experience in non-profit leadership and law, and a team on the ground in Uganda, comprised of Ugandan school administrators, who have years of experience teaching and developing programs in the country which adhere to the rules and regulations of the Uganda Ministry of Education. Our team also includes a Ugandan legal team with experience in non-profit law, which will enable the process of running a school in rural Uganda to be successful.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Create Foundation was created in 2017. We were registered as a non-profit organization and earned our 501(c)(3) status in November 2017. So far, we have also registered the organization as a registered charity in Uganda with the help of our legal team in Kampala, we have assembled a team of individuals passionate about creating lasting change for the youth of Uganda, created a detailed budget, plan of action and implementation, unique programs and revenue generation strategies, as well as building plans and concepts. We have put together a team in Uganda of school administrators who will help to hire qualified staff, create a curriculum that fits our vision but also adheres to the criteria set by the Ugandan government, and is dedicated to helping to make C.R.E.A.T.E. a reality. We have done some fundraising, and are actively seeking grants and sponsorships. Our team recently returned from Uganda, where we have secured the land for our school, the the developing region of Gayaza. We have construction crews ready and willing to do the work, the only thing standing in our way is funding!
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Create Foundation
Board of directorsas of 06/28/2022
Jennifer Kirabo Gargano
Derrick Olwenyi
Nicole Rienzo
Patrick Sevume
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/25/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.