EdFund Uganda Foundation

EdFund Uganda Foundation was originally founded by Mr. Giebink to construct projects in the District of Kamuli Uganda which would have an immediate impact for school children and rural poor families. The mission of EdFund Uganda Foundation is to invest in the schools of Eastern Uganda to enhance the opportunity and accessibility of education and technology for youth and community, as a means for empowering productive citizenship. The future of Uganda and Africa is inextricably linked to improving family health, welfare, education, and technology in the rural areas. Prior to founding EdFund Uganda Foundation in 2015, Mr. Giebink completed numerous construction projects in the Kamuli Uganda District over the preceding 8 years including energy efficient kitchens in rural villages, a commercial energy efficient kitchen and dining hall at a primary school with 2,000 students and initiating internship programs in Eastern Uganda for United States university students. In 2015, Mr. Giebink formed a partnership with KAPIDA (see Mr. Dhizaala’a profile) to specifically rebuild the Kamuli Township Primary School with over 2,300 students in grades P1 to P7. Over the past 10 years, EdFund Uganda Foundation has funded and KAPIDA has managed the re-building and new construction of 8 buildings including: a dining hall and commercial energy-efficient kitchen for feeding 2,000 students daily, 3 classroom buildings, an administration building, a community center for the school and town (population of 100,000), a girls’ dormitory for 100 students, a boys dormitory for 100 students, and new sanitary facilities for all the bildings.

A 1977 graduate of Middlebury College with a BA and High Honors in Economics, Mr. Giebink founded a full-service construction and real estate company working in New England and upstate New York. Mr. Giebink now has over 50 years of experience in designing and constructing a wide variety of projects - from luxury single family homes to residential housing developments containing several hundred units each. Over the past 30 years, he has focused on developing, constructing and managing new mixed income housing projects, specifically those in the Low-Income Tax Credit Program. Over the course of his career, he has secured funding through numerous housing programs for over 20 affordable housing projects with 1,500 units throughout VT, NH, and up-state NY. John is primarily responsible for the financial and legal matters related to the various companies and properties in Summit Property’s portfolio, and for oversight of design, permitting and construction of new projects.

As EdFund Uganda Foundation evolves into the 21st century, its mission has expanded into the world of technology with a focus on bringing computer education, internet, and technology resources to students, teachers, administrators, and community members in Eastern Uganda. To that end, EdFund has completed a Technology Center at the Kamuli Township Primary School with 41 computers interconnected to each other, to the internet, to a projection system, and to a sound system. The intent is to educate and train students, teachers and community members in the interconnectivity of the new world. With future funding, EdFund hopes to establish additional technology centers in the Kamuli District and Eastern Uganda.