About Us

About Educate Bwindi/Uganda

Educate Bwindi is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) U.S. non-profit working with sponsors and donors worldwide. We are dedicated to educating the children of Bwindi, Uganda with a focus on children who are especially vulnerable and also on those with high academic potential. We have no paid employees. Board Members who travel to work in Bwindi pay their own expenses.

As of September 2018, after working closely with the school and providing the majority of financial support for many years, we now own and operate The Bwindi Watoto School in conjunction with our sister organization, Educate Bwindi Uganda. Support for the school comes primarily from sponsorships and donations. We provide strong fiscal oversight, strategic planning and engage with problem solving at the School. We are now working on several major projects including one to build new dormitories and another to bring an innovative plan for improved education.

The Board

Akankwasah Barirega – President

Akankwasah is Commissioner, Wildlife Conservation in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities where he works on Wildlife Conservation and related International Treaties. He holds a Doctorate in Natural Resources and Environment Management. He is committed to helping the children of Bwindi.

Jeremiah Schatt – Acting Treasurer

Jeremiah serves as Chief Financial Officer at AllCell Technologies. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He visited Bwindi in 2002. Jeremiah began his career with the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF).

Gina Norgard – Sponsorship Coordinator

Gina has a background in psychology, property/staff management, freelance magazine work including cooking and photography and a history of volunteer work. She is a founding member of Educate Bwindi and Educate Bwindi Uganda. She goes regularly to work with the school and is currently building a home in Bwindi.

Lorna Gladstone – Vice President/Secretary and Sponsorships

Lorna has been working with the children of Bwindi since 2003. She is a founding member of Educate Bwindi and of Educate Bwindi Uganda. She has a M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She returns regularly to visit and work with the school.

Tom Hudson – Assistant Treasurer

Tom Hudson is Vice President of News and Special Correspondent for WLRN (Public) Radio, Miami. He writes a weekly column for the Miami Herald and for the McClatchy-Tribune News Service. He has received numerous broadcasting awards, including the 2012 Program of Excellence Award by American Public Television.

Donna Schatt – Director

Donna Schatt holds a M.A. in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago and a M.L.S. from Rutgers University. She has visited Bwindi twice. Her research focuses on how children learn to read and on the place story-telling plays in cognitive development. Donna also brings a wide range of knowledge in progressive education and experience in fundraising.

Chris Wichems – Director

Scientist, Pharmaceutical Executive, PhD in Pharmacology and Post-doc with the National Institute of Mental Health, writer and team builder are only some of Chris’s professional activities. She has lived internationally for many years and traveled extensively, including in Africa. She has visited Bwindi and the Bwindi Watoto School and intends to return as soon as possible.

Board Advisors

Cathy Mooney

As Educate Bwindi’s first Treasurer, Cathy worked tirelessly for several years to get the new non-profit up, going and stable. She has now turned the reins over to a new Treasurer but continues as the Educate Bwindi Book Keeper and Advisor.

Elizabeth M Mills

Elizabeth is a nonprofit organizations and health care attorney. She is in solo practice with Elizabeth M. Mills P.C. She represents new and existing not-for-profits in a variety of areas, especially changes in activities or structure and with tax issues and works internationally. She also represents health care organizations, addressing their tax, regulatory and transactional issues.