Five pillars of impact. Equal partnership. Generations of change.

Our holistic five-pillar development model starts with education: empowering children with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to develop their capabilities to the maximum possible extent. Ensuring a child has access to quality education is the best way to set them up for success and break the cycle of poverty, which is why our partnerships with communities start by building or renovating schools or school rooms (including classrooms, libraries, kitchens, teachers’ accommodations, and school offices), that are then supported by other infrastructure needs key to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Building new schools or school rooms (or renovating existing structures where needed) are not the only inputs into the five-pillar development model. To date, WE Charity has built or renovated 850 schools in rural Kenya. WE Charity has also built and renovated schools in other countries as well, including those locations below.

Each school room is furnished with the necessary supplies, such as desks and chairs, libraries with books, and other essential items for teachers’ offices and accommodations. Funds are also allocated to critical program needs that ensure quality services are delivered. For example, teachers must be trained and housed, students need healthy meals, and health care facilities (training and supplies) are necessary to look after the health needs of both faculty and students.

two school boys India
two school boys India
Little girl in school Haiti
Little girl in school Haiti

Integrated, holistic and sustainable

Poverty is not the result of one single cause. Therefore, our model is neither a single solution nor a handout. Instead, it incorporates five key pillars of community life: education, access to clean water, healthcare, food security and opportunity. These work in tandem to empower change and to help advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Read below to find out more about each pillar.

Explore the education pillar in our partner communities around the world

 School kids, Kenya
 School kids, Kenya
 kids in Ecuador receiving food
 kids in Ecuador receiving food
 woman carrying water jug India
 woman carrying water jug India
 Community members in a row Tanzania
 Community members in a row Tanzania
 School kids waving outside of school room
 School kids waving outside of school room
Young girl with water jug on head, smiling
Young girl with water jug on head, smiling
 Young girl at school desk in school room, China
 Young girl at school desk in school room, China
School girl smiling sitting in desk, school room
School girl smiling sitting in desk, school room
School kids in yellow shirts running, Ghana
School kids in yellow shirts running, Ghana
School girls laughing at camera, Sri Lanka
School girls laughing at camera, Sri Lanka
School children in class, Ethiopia
School children in class, Ethiopia
School girl leaning on desk, Dominican Republic
School girl leaning on desk, Dominican Republic

An in-depth look at our work with Laila

Since 2014, WE has partnered with the community of Laila in Narok County, rural Kenya, to implement the 5-Pillar development model. Learn how this has resulted in successful, sustainable outcomes that will bring decades of continuous impacts.

WE Stories: Read. Watch. Get Inspired.

ECUADOR
Water Rights
KENYA
Fighting for Education
INDIA
Love Lives on
KENYA
MVP Mom