Ducere Foundation

The Ducere Foundation is an Australian-based not-for-profit dedicated to providing children throughout Africa with the opportunity to grow into leaders.^[1] The Foundation coordinates a range of projects throughout Africa focusing largely on education.

Working in partnership with African governments, Ducere Foundation uses education-based programs alongside other philanthropic work to transform public school systems.^[2]

Vision

Dūcere Founder, Mathew Jacobson, employs a philanthrocapitalist approach to the foundation.^[3]

Focusing on Botswana and Zambia, the Dūcere Foundation uses market forces to create social change as well as profits from Ducere corporation.

The foundation employs local teachers, builds Peace Centres, provides education resources and encourages a culture of reading through the Ducere Children's Publishing House.

Projects

The Ducere Foundation runs a number of programs to assist young people to live, learn and grown into leaders.

The School Improvement Program

There are six Ducere-sponsored schools across Botswana, in Gaborone, Kang and Kasane. The School Improvement Program aims to better learning through modern curriculums and teaching practices. Ducere aspires to, with this program, see students learn the skills required to become the future leaders of Africa.^[4]

Ducere Peace Centres

The Ducere Peace Centres build on one of the world’s oldest democratic traditions, the Botswanan Kgotla. The Peace Centres are a joint project with the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation, and together Ducere and the Masire Foundation hopes to empower children, to help them understand and deal in positive and meaningful dialogue, promote peace and equality, become advocates for positive change, and develop into future leaders.

Students learn about local and global issues, including: human rights, gender equality, persecution of children, child trafficking and slavery, racism and animal rights. The Peace Centres will also develop students’ skills in research, analysis, presentation and communication.^[5]

Finally, the Peace Centres facilitate the prevention of bullying by developing peace leaders, creating anti-bullying policies and programs and teaching students to stand up for their rights.

The Ducere Publishing House

The Ducere Publishing House facilitates the development of cultural awareness between generations, preserves African traditions and culture, and enhances young people's literacy skills. African stories are collected by the foundation and encourage children to write more and to take pride in their culture. It is the hope of Ducere that grandparents, parents, tribal leaders and other community members will share traditional stories for children to re-write in their own words.^[6]

The Orphanage Program

Currently the Ducere Orphanage Program operates in Livingstone, Zambia. The program aims to help young people learn, take pride in themselves and future community leaders. Through the Orphanage Program, Ducere provides orphans with support to overcome the obstacles in life. This support ranges from the basics like clothing, school-uniforms and food to sophisticated educational resources.

Ducere is also in discussions with schools in Livingston to establish Peace Centres as well as reading and debating programs for the region.^[7]

References

• Kitney, Damon. "Liberman plan taps potent network". The Australian. 8 June 2013.