Build A School In Africa
A volunteer-run, non-profit organization, we help build schools in deserving communities in Mali, West Africa.
Mission
A volunteer-run, non-profit organization, we raise funds to help build schools in deserving communities in Mali, West Africa.
Ruling year
2011
Principal Officer
Ms. Judith M. Lorimer
Main address
83 Groton St
Pepperell, MA 01463 USA
EIN
03-0406505
NTEE code
International Development, Relief Services (Q30)
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution (B12)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
In Mali, West Africa, currently only about 65% of children can attend school because of the lack of classrooms. Many communities are still making do with small, dark, and stuffy mud-brick buildings or temporary classrooms made from straw mats or walls of corn or millet stalks attached to a pole framework.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
School Building Campaign
Each year, we endeavor to raise funds to help rural communities in Mali, West Africa to build new schools.
According to the latest statistics available, only about 60% of Malian children attend primary school (70% of boys and 50% of girls). According the US Library of Congress Federal Research Division (Mali Country Profile, January 2005), "the education system is plagued by a lack of schools in rural areas, as well as shortages of teachers and materials." The government of Mali has committed to placing teachers in rural schools and paying their salaries, but the community must first build a simple, modern, concrete school building that conforms to government standards. Many children currently attend classes in windowless storerooms, crumbling mud-brick buildings, or temporary shelters. Many rural communities do not have the ability to raise the funds to construct schools to government standards. With our assistance, deserving communities are able to build schools and send children to school. We believe that basic education and literacy is the key to improving chilrens' lives of the livelihoods of their communities and nation.
Where we work
External reviews
Our Sustainable Development Goals
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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?
Build a School in Africa raises funds to help build modern, bright, well-ventilated school buildings in deserving communities in Mali. All the schools meet or exceed government standards.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Build a School in Africa raises funds from donations and special events and uses these funds to build new school buildings in Mali. The community receiving the school has to contribute the land, foundation stones, sand and gravel for making the cinder blocks, unskilled labor, and a portion of the funding.
Build a School in Africa built its first 7 schools in partnership with Save the Children. But in 2010, Save the Children shifted its focus to teacher training instead of building schools, so we teamed up with two former Save the Children administrators, Abou Coulibaly and Madou Traore, and we have continued to raise funds and build schools. This has been a very effective partnership, and we have built 15 additional schools as of 2019. Our goal is to build at least one school a year, but we can’t do it without your support!
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Build a School in Africa is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff.
Director Judy Lorimer is a retired kindergarten teacher. She makes annual trips to Mali at her own expense to visit school sites, bring school supplies. Our partners in Mali, Abou Coulibaly and Madou Traore, work with the communities and oversee school construction.
For many years one of our major fund-raisers was “African Rhythms”, a show of African dance and music; after 17 shows in 11 years, the final show was held in 2012, as ever-increasing expenses made the shows less profitable. Ms. Lorimer, an avid horseback rider, runs an “African Safari” pleasure trail ride every summer to benefit the project, providing a home-cooked African buffet dinner for local horseback riders after they enjoy riding a marked trail course of 7, 15, or 20 miles through beautiful public and private lands in Groton, Massachusetts.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since 2007, Build a School in Africa has funded the construction of 24 schools in Mali, West Africa.
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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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Build A School In Africa
Board of directorsas of 02/23/2023
Ms. Judith Lorimer
No Affiliation
Matthew Heberger
No Affiliation
Judith M. Lorimer
No Affiliation
Karolyn Franz
No Affiliation
Alice Heller
No Affiliation
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
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Gender identity
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Sexual orientation
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Disability
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