GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
One School at a Time follows guiding principles to ensure that each Ugandan school project is poised for enduring, sustainable success. The organization seeks to ensure that it has the best foundation, people, and support available to aid each school partner. To that end, One School at a Time partnerships are based on:
The Right Foundation
- The organization is dedicated to the idea that all children in Uganda deserve a quality education.
- Every school undergoes a thorough vetting before becoming a partner.
- Each school establishes a governance policy, a functioning school board, and an involved parent community; they also complete a needs assessment and 5-year strategic plan before any project work with One School at a Time commences.
- Respect and understanding of Ugandan culture and practices are at the core of One School at a Time’s work
The Right Programs for the Kids
- Programs combating the high attrition rates of girls due to puberty and other local and cultural issues are paramount in One School At A Time’s work.
- The organization works with each school to develop programs to improve students’ academic performance.
The Right People & Community Support
- A local Ugandan program manager oversees each partner school and communicates directly with the U.S.-based organization to ensure compliance, transparency and accountability.
- Each school is required to assist and encourage the next selected partner school, thereby building a network of local resources and support.
- The local community is enlisted to actively participate in each partner school with garden, building, and education-based initiatives.
- Strong committed leaders must already exist among school administrators.
- Parent programs and education increases the school programs’ success.
- The school partners are linked with existing local organizations and community and government leaders who can provide additional, long-term support.
The Right Approach
- The U.S.-based component of the organization consists solely of unpaid volunteers, and the only paid staff is the on-site Ugandan program manager. Every effort is made to minimize administrative costs in the United States. 93% of all funds One School at a Time raises support school projects in Uganda.
- The organization avoids the often-ineffective pitfall of focusing most or all resources on capital improvements (building schools), and instead instigates a holistic approach to each project.
The Right Support
- Training and support for teachers is critically important for success.
- Addressing basic issues of safety, security, shelter, sanitation, and nutrition are integral to every school’s success.
- Support to enhance each partner school’s administration with relevant technology, financial training, long-term planning, and governance and leadership training is integral to building successful schools.
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