Today's students.
tomorrow's leaders.
We believe education is vital to a thriving society. The Somero Project is a non-profit organization that works to run the Evergreen Primary School in Kotolo, Uganda. Through donations and sponsorships we work with the local community to empower their youth.
312
students
11 teachers
72
sponsors
become a sponsor
Interested in helping a child get an education? You’ll have the opportunity to build a meaningful relationship with the kids that are directly impacted by your donations.
make a donation
We don't solely run off of sponsorships, donations make a great difference for The Somero Project and the Evergreen School. There are always projects you can help build.
our story
where it all began
In 2008, Craig Conover began supporting a small village in Uganda named Kotolo. Craig had an established friendship with Alexander Oboi, a local Ugandan. Alex and his mother Susan Mary asked Craig to pay for the construction of a primary school in Kotolo, because there was no local school. The closest public school was several miles away, and the children in Kotolo had to walk on foot to attend.
2008-2012
Craig had the idea to fund the school through asking for financial support and in turn would train and run marathons. He created “26 for Africa” – the ‘26’ represented 26 miles in a marathon. Craig was also simultaneously working full time, and was funding the majority of the school construction & teacher salaries (4 teachers to start) in phases out of his 401(K) retirement plan. Unfortunately, funding was few and far between, so Craig was funding everything for the school from 2008 to 2012 out of his own pocket.
2012
In 2012, Craig and his daughter Becky had a conversation that led to Becky taking control of the non-profit organization so that Craig was able to eventually retire. Becky got a group of her friends together, formed a Board of Directors, changed the name from “26 to Africa” to “The Somero Project,” and started a sponsorship program to generate funding. The idea of sponsorship was to partner a student and a sponsor, putting a real name and face to the sponsor’s $25 monthly donation.
throughout the years
In the years since The Somero Project was established, we have accomplished a number of exciting projects in Kotolo.
2008 – Original school block construction (4 classrooms)
2012 – Expansion of additional classrooms added on to original school block
2014/2015 – Construction of second school block (4 classrooms)
2014/2015 – Construction of rain-water catch system to catch rainwater in a large storage container for use in the dry season
2017 – Construction of teacher housing and student dormitories
2017 – Construction of well in village near school to provide access to water
2019 – Construction of security wall surrounding campus
2021 – Construction of medical clinic to meet basic needs of students and community members
2021 – Construction of new full service bathrooms
2022 – Classroom floors re-done due to damage from normal “wear and tear”
meet the team
our team on the ground in Uganda and behind the scenes in washington are dedicated to making a difference - not only for the current children in Kotolo, but for future generations in uganda.
meet the team
a note from the president
"2022 marked TEN YEARS for The Somero Project! A decade of learning and growing for the Evergreen School, its students, and our organization. All thanks to the continued support of our sponsors and donations. We, like many of you, are learning how to adapt and press forward in a post-pandemic world.
We have a renewed sense of pride in our project, as our students returned to the classrooms and our teachers returned to work. We have a renewed sense of excitement, as we continue to evaluate ways in which we can improve our school. We have a renewed sense of purpose, as we sent our first group of volunteers to Uganda since 2019 - giving us a first-hand glimpse into the real lives of real people - children and their entire families, who are impacted by YOU. From our family to yours, thank you!"
visits to the school
Nearly every year there is a group of board members and volunteers that go to visit the school in Uganda. With a bit of manual labor and morale boosting, these visits are about lending a helping hand around the school.
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