Education - Helping Ugandans Help Themselves

When people are hungry to learn and eager to work, everything can change for them. Those are the kind of people I discovered in Uganda. They want to learn how to raise themselves out of poverty and into a better tomorrow. They remind me of first-generation immigrants who brought their families to America for a better life. They learn what they need to know to succeed and work hard to see their plans and dreams come true.

Over the past fifteen years, the actions of the Ugandan people have proven to me that they are worthy of my support. I wholeheartedly believe they are worthy of your support too. Education has always been our primary focus and will continue to be so. Click Read More

Therefore, in 2017, together with Ugandan volunteers, I established Educational Missions, (<web link) Our Mission Statement reads: "Our Mission is to provide effective educational tools and procedures that empower individuals and organizations to achieve their best."

Above are some of our volunteers, outside our Kampala office, who are getting ready to go teach. And yes, that is me on the wall delivering an encouraging message of self-help. The following picture is Conrad Leonard teaching our LogicDie principles. We want people to learn how to solve their own problems by thinking through the process and developing a plan of action.

Our Vision is to unite with like-minded individuals, educational and religious institutions, governmental and private organizations to fulfill our Mission of providing nonsectarian education, and the educational resources needed to the good people of Uganda and beyond.

This short 2017 video was taken on my first teaching trip to Uganda. Back in 2008, my life was forever changed when I visited Uganda on a mission trip. There I met several young orphans, including 10-year-old Simon, a friend of the boy I eventually sponsored, Cosmas.

Books, books, books! We need to print more of our smaller self-help book, Think to Prosper. Its reader learns a simple system for solving problems and getting things done.

So What do You want to Accomplish, Stan???

Good Question! Although we have already printed over a thousand books, plus 3,000 booklets, in three different languages, we still need to print more. Plus we need to continue to teach students while upgrading our teacher development programs and providing critical supplies. This requires travel, lodging, and other resources. On October 16th, I will be headed to Uganda for a 3-week push.

Below is Simon. He read my first self-help book and started teaching the principles to his friends and schoolmates. Shortly thereafter, he built the first community center in his village and started a school, plus a whole lot more. Simon's dedication to practicing and teaching the principles was the catalyst for my Uganda involvement. Witnessing his accomplishments has been inspiring and motivational.

Simon has literally changed his community and the lives of hundreds. No, thousands! He continues to teach the principles he learned and has earned our support.

Ever since Simon read my first book, How to Do the Impossible and a Whole Lot More, in 2015, he has been teaching time-proven, self-help principles. I have done my best to provide minimal support to him and the other volunteer teachers who have joined him. Unfortunately, I am not rich, but I have been doing what I can.

Now, it is your turn to help. Please! You have heard the old saying, "Give a person a fish to feed them for a day or teach them to fish and feed them for a lifetime." Educational Missions provides fishing lessons to anyone who wants to learn how to solve their own problems by developing workable plans of action. We provide a practical step-by-step cognitive process for dealing with real-life problems. We may deliver it on a fifth-grade level, but it is meant for teens and adults. The process works on any issue regardless of complexity.

Below is Simon being the community leader he is.

In 2017, I personally went to Uganda for 3 weeks of teaching. Now it is time for me to go back. Our team has scheduled my return for October 16th till November 6th. They have me busy! There is a lot to be accomplished. (I have already purchased my airline tickets.)

I will be joining a small team of Ugandans as we teach in numerous facilities. We will continue the work that has been started. We are blessed to have more opportunities than I have time. People are hungry to learn; which is pretty cool. We need more of that in America.

What doors are open, Stan???

As of this moment, we have the opportunity to teach in six secondary schools, two colleges, two churches, a refugee camp, and a mental health facility. At the mental health facility, we will be training 75 staff members over two days. Our objective is to train the counselors so they may teach their patients how to deal with problems. They have been expecting us for almost a year. We can't wait to be there.

We are returning to Nakivale Refugee Settlement for four days. We translated one thousand of our "Think to Prosper" booklets into Swahili for the residents of the settlement. Below is a clip of Eric Rusagara Wane, a volunteer, teaching in Swahili and then interviewing someone.

Here is Eric speaking, in English, shortly after reading, "Think to Prosper", to our Ugandan Zoom attendees.

Here is Oyet David on stage after teaching the LogicDie at The Einstein Forum in Kampala, Uganda. If you look closely you will see the LogicDie in his hands.

Josel Sancios, on the left, shared his Facebook post. He is proud of teaching Pastor Joshua the LogicDie principles. Pastor Joshua is utilizing them to construct his church building.

Another one of our volunteers, Teddy Nnanungi. She took the book, "Think to Prosper", to her school. She taught her students, shared it with other teachers, and then taught it to their students.

We have been doing all of this work on a financial shoestring. What I have shared is only a sampling of the stories that can be told. Please help us to build upon the foundation that we have prepared. What we do today will produce tomorrow's stories that will change the world.

It has was a great honor to receive the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from Metropolitan Ministries, in addition to the 2007 Volunteer of the Year. It is with this same commitment and work ethic that I have been helping our Ugandan friends. The best award, by far, was the blessing of all the amazing friends I made during my decade of service at MetroMin.

One of the most important lessons I learn from Metropolitan Ministries is clearly stated in their Mission Statement, self-sufficiency. When people become self-sufficient they are empowered. It allows them to take control of their life and gives them the ability to impact others. Self-sufficiency is at the heart of what we teach at Educational Missions. We empower individuals to become self-sufficient through education and action.

Conrad Leonard is an impressive young man. He has started several successful business utilizing the principles of the LogicDie. He enthusiastically teaches the principles.

Over the past seven years, I have attended the University of South Florida. My studies include education and psychology. It is important to me that we teach sound cognitive principles that are supported by science. We believe that Education + Action will empower Ugandans to lift themselves out of poverty.

I don't know this young man and his friends. They are associated with Nakivale Refugee Settlement, nevertheless, I appreciate that they wanted to share their experience with the book "Think to Prosper."

Here is a old video of me teaching a few of the principles of the LogicDie.