I am participating in No Shave Novemeber and not shaving as a means to raise money for good causes. Many men do this to raise money for men's health issues, but a long time ago, I started doing this to raise money for teachers and schools. There are many teachers out there doing great work, and their impact is not limited by their motivation or imagination but instead is limited by school funds. Over my career, I have taught at generally well-funded schools, but even I spend $100-$200 a year out of pocket for my classes. Some estimates have teachers in US public schools averaging out of pocket expenses between $600-$800 per year!

This story is the same for teachers around the world, and in some countries, the percent of their own income that teachers spend on their classes is even higher than in the US. That is why this year, I am raising money for a friend of mine, Mariah Nandyona-Ssebuufu, who has dedicated her life to educating children in Uganda. I met Mariah while studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (see 2nd picture). She had to wake up each day at 2 AM to attend classes online, and then still go to work the next morning. Mariah is the principal at Morning Star Education Services and the founder of SheRebuilds Foundation Uganda.

Here is what the SheRebuilds Foundation Uganda does in Mariah's own words:

SheRebuilds Foundation Uganda endeavors to find the strength in every scar and the hope in every step.

SheRebuilds is a community-based nonprofit empowering adolescent mothers in Uganda through education, mental health support, and livelihood training. Our mission is to restore hope and dignity to young mothers who were forced to drop out of school due to early pregnancy and stigma.

As a single mother herself, Mariah has shared and continues to share the same hardships as the community of girls she is serving, and while taking care of her family is hard enough, Mariah still works tirelessly to help others.

Mariah explains how your donations to this GoFundMe will help:

Donations will go directly to several ongoing projects supported by SheRebuilds. First, your donations will go to the Arise Community School [see picture 4], which provides casual jobs for teen mothers and kindergarten and lower primary education for their children.

Second, funds will also help furnish our Skilling Centre—purchasing computers for the Digital Daughters Project, sewing machines for the Hands of Hope Project, and providing scholarships for four mothers enrolled in mainstream education.

In addition, contributions will go toward renovating and furnishing our medical center [see picture 5], which will provide maternal care for pregnant teens and basic healthcare for their children.

Every contribution helps us create a safe and empowering space where young mothers can rebuild their futures with dignity, education, and hope.

If you have been looking to give well and make your donations have a higher impact per dollar, this is one of those opportunities. Here are Mariah's words once more, this time showing how far your dollars will go:

Many families struggle to pay even the modest $65 termly fee, and several children attend without essentials like shoes, uniforms, or books. We’re doing our best to provide what we can, but contributions—even $20, $30, or $50—go a long way toward putting their lives together with the basics needed for learning.

At the same time, some of our teen moms are still pregnant and could use new mom essentials—things like baby clothing, hygiene supplies, and basic care kits. For those pursuing vocational training, $220 a year can completely fund a skill that allows them to provide for their children and regain control of their future.

So this holiday season, please consider helping Mariah and her SheRebuilds Foundation. I will be donating my face by growing out a ridiculous Asian mustache, and you can donate money to uplift young mothers and their children. My goal is to raise $3000 this year. Thank you for your consideration and help.

All the best,

Mark