Our Crowdfunding Groups
Forever True Day is live!
Iowa State’s 24-hour online giving day launched at noon (CDT) and runs through noon on April 4. This is a great opportunity for the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods to get a little extra support! Make a gift and then check out ForeverTrueDay.com to see matches, challenges, and all kinds of excitement all across campus.
You can encourage others to make a gift on social media! Use https://forevertrueday.com/giving-day/82903/donate?des=601418&dept=82904 and #ForeverTrueDay in your post for maximum impact.
Thank you for helping us get CSRL a little extra support on Forever True Day!
A special thanks to all of our wonderful donors, including those waiting in the wings to ensure all matching funds were received! Thanks to you, women, children, and young adults across the Kamuli district can obtain the knowledge and boost they need to provide for themselves and improve their families’ long-term livelihoods. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and visit https://www.csrl.cals.iastate.edu/ to see how your contributions are transforming lives.
To date, you’ve met Marion, Betty, Suzan, Catherin, Dennis, Kamuli school pupils, and more inspiring individuals who are developing skills for self-reliance. Thank you for your support!
Now, we’d like you to meet ISU students in this short video who also believe in the cause and volunteer their time and effort here in Ames to increase economic opportunities for our partners in Uganda!
Help them and us to spread the word and reach our goal to assist more aspiring individuals in obtaining the knowledge and boost they need to provide for themselves and improve their families’ long-term livelihoods.
Mwebale Inho! (Thank you very much)
Dennis is a student and livestock farmer.
“My passion for livestock farming started way back in 2018 when I was a pupil at Nakanyonyi primary school. Our school had several projects, and students were organized in different clubs”. Dennis joined the poultry club. He and other students received hands-on learning about brooding, vaccinations, and the importance of disease control and prevention. This experience enabled Dennis to raise and sell some of his chickens. “In the year 2019, there was an outbreak of Newcastle disease. Our neighbors lost all their chickens, but mine survived. I took the opportunity to teach my neighbors how to control poultry diseases. As a result, our neighbor encouraged his children to join the poultry club at our school”.
In 2019, Dennis received ten indigenous birds through ISU-UP. Using the skills attained, he raised and sold enough chickens to purchase a female goat. And then another female goat plus stud fees to breed his does. Eventually, he reared and sold seven kid goats, using the income to pay for his schooling up to high school. “With the sale of chickens and goats, I am planning to continue with my education. I am also planning to save more money from the poultry and goat sales to buy a cow as soon as possible”. Dennis currently has 41 chickens and five goats.
More students like Dennis would love to have an opportunity like this. Sharing Dennis’s story supports the cause; every dollar makes a difference! Help us to reach twenty-five thousand, and we will achieve our fifty-thousand dollar goal through matching funds!
Thank you!
Iowa State University – Uganda Program skilling projects at local Uganda schools help students to complete their education. One such project allows Catherin to learn tailoring and earn an income while also creating products that benefit others in her community.
View Catherin’s story at the link below, and enjoy the full Community Income Generation Innovations video here: https://youtu.be/ZYg3BexpRoY
We make helping pupils like Catherin easy – Sharing her story supports the cause, and every dollar makes a difference! In fact, double the difference! Generous donors will match all contributions through the first twenty-five thousand.
Thank you!
The vocational training program addresses an outcome of the global pandemic; a sudden increase of young mothers in their teens (13-19 years).
After becoming pregnant, Namuddu Suzan was forced to drop out of school. Her parents were no longer willing to pay for her education and told her she should get a job or get married. With no qualifications, marketable skills, or support from the father of her child, Suzan felt doomed, having no idea how she would provide for herself or her baby. “In 2022, Iowa State University - Uganda Program introduced several skilling projects to help people like me to acquire life skills. Young mothers like me were encouraged to join culinary arts, hairdressing, and tailoring projects based on our interests and potential employment opportunities in our communities”.
Suzan attended training for six months. “I am happy that I have acquired hairdressing skills and graduated.” After graduating from the program, Suzan got a job in a local salon. “From the income I earn, I can now take care of my baby and have access to basic personal needs. I am also saving money to start my own salon”.
You can quickly help others like Suzan. Sharing her story supports the cause, and every dollar makes a difference! In fact, double the difference! Generous donors will match all contributions through the first twenty-five thousand.
Thank you!
The Community Income Generation Innovations (CIGI) program through the Iowa State University- Uganda Program has allowed Betty to learn a new skill of soap making. Being a part of the Soap making group, Tweyunge (Let’s Unite), has brought into Betty’s life the social support, dignity, respect, and vital income she needs to become self-sufficient, provide for her children, and improve her family’s long-term livelihood.
You can easily help others like Betty – Sharing her story supports the cause, and every dollar makes a difference! In fact, double the difference! Generous donors will match all contributions through the first twenty-five thousand.
Click the red arrow on the update, or use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwGHc3HJ-4A to view the snippets of Betty’s story, or enjoy the full CIGI video here: https://youtu.be/ZYg3BexpRoY
Thank you!
Students preparing the snack known as daddiesThe life skills training program in culinary skills provides academic assistance as well as a source of income for participants. The skills gained in baking and pastry have provided the students with a platform to launch a packaged product popularly known as daddies, which they sell as a snack in their school canteen and in retail shops in Kamuli town. The income has enabled members of the baking club to acquire essential scholastic materials to support their education. Last year, the students also baked cakes for a special event for 460 people!
Students packaging snacks for sale in their school canteenThe fledgling program has helped improve students’ academic performance and outlook for success after they complete school.
Your support will help continue and expand programs like this to more needy students. Sharing the story supports the cause, and every dollar makes a difference! In fact, double the difference! Generous donors will match all donations through the first twenty-five thousand.
Thank you!
The Community Income Generation Innovations (CIGI) program through the Iowa State University- Uganda Program has allowed Marion to learn a new skill of weaving baskets which has immensely impacted her life. Help others like Marion who wish to develop their skills, enabling them to provide for themselves and improve their families' long-term livelihoods. Please share Marion's story and donate now to double your impact through matching funds!
Click the red arrow on the update, or use this link https://youtu.be/fob3_utMN5Q to view the snippets of Marion's story, or enjoy the full CIGI video here: https://youtu.be/ZYg3BexpRoY
Every dollar makes a difference. And every donation can help individuals to obtain the skills they need to become self-reliant.
Similar to a diploma, apprentices can certify their skills through the Uganda Directorate of Industrial Training which conducts testing and awards certificates. This smooths the pathway from training to employment.
With a frying pan, charcoal stove, cooking oil, wheat, pastry board, and utensils, each program graduate could be ready for business.
This donation level can cover the costs of training, planting materials, tools, and land preparation for an individual to get started in commercial fruit and vegetable production and marketing.
This donation can provide a participant with skills in hairdressing, manicure/pedicure, and cosmetology.
Our existing programs can't accommodate all of the motivated, entrepreneurial, individuals who want to be involved. Your donation can help broaden the training and skilling programs available. For example, a donation at this level can cover the costs of a welding and metal fabrication apprentice.
This donation level can provide an individual with the training, materials, equipment, veterinary supplies, and certification to start a small livestock and poultry enterprise.
Crafting soap, books, baskets, jewelry, belts, and bags requires a broad range of inputs for participants to get started. Once they have developed their skills, craft group members are able to pool a portion of their profits to replenish their supplies. Your donation can guide them to self-reliance.
Your contribution can convert twelve participants into cooperative business owners through training, certification, startup materials, machines, and their first three months' rent at the market.
Donating at this level will enable more than 50 mothers and youth to graduate from the skilling program of their choice!