Johnston, RI, Nov. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation (NACEPF), a nonprofit focused on supporting education and lifelong learning, and buildOn, a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education, broke ground on the first of 10 new schools in developing countries in the Caribbean, Central America, Africa, and Asia. After successfully building 10 schools over the last year, NACEPF and buildOn have pledged to build 10 more together over the next year.
 

Katherine Messier, Director of Development for NACEPF, said, “We believe that education is a basic human right. Over the past 29 years, NACEPF has focused on meeting the technology needs of schools both in and out of the classroom across the United States. We also have a long history of supporting charitable programs all over the world. This has made us keenly aware that in many parts of the world, children have no access to formal education at all or have to overcome extreme obstacles just to attend class. After an introduction to buildOn from a family member who went on Trek to build a school in Nicaragua, we discovered buildOn’s mission and ethos perfectly aligns with NACEPF’s commitment to changing our world through education and service. We are honored to continue this strong partnership to make a long-lasting impact."    

The new schools will enhance educational conditions for students in areas facing obstacles such as illiteracy, poverty, insufficient school structures, and dangerous environmental conditions making it difficult to travel to school. These 10 new schools will be completed by the Summer of 2019, providing access to educational resources and improving the lives of more than 1,300 students. The partnership between NACEPF and buildOn will make educational opportunities available to thousands of children and adults worldwide.
 

"Through our continued partnership with NACEPF and their dedication to buildOn's mission, together we have worked with rural community members across three different continents to build schools,” Jim Ziolkowski Founder, President and CEO of buildOn said. “By building 10 schools across Nicaragua, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Mali, Nepal, and Senegal in 2017/18 we have brought the power of education to 1,326 primary school students -- 713 of those students being girls. With education, comes equality. We could not be more thrilled that NACEPF has decided to continue to partner with buildOn by again committing to build another 10 schools in 2018/19. NACEPF’s impact is tremendous. We are honored to call NACEPF not only a partner, but part of the buildOn family."
 

Last year, NACEPF funded the building of 10 schools throughout Nicaragua, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Haiti, Mali, and Nepal, which helped improve the lives of 1,326 students and will continue to do so for many years. These new schools give students the ability to learn in a secure and safe environment. Since its existence, buildOn and other partners have built more than 1,334 schools around the world.
 

If you wish to learn more about NACEPF or buildOn, please visit their websites, http://www.nacepf.net/ and https://www.buildon.org/.

 

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About NACEPF: North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, Inc. (NACEPF) is a Rhode Island-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the second largest Educational Broadband Service (EBS) licensee in the United States. NACEPF’s broadband service, religious and educational programming, and advocacy efforts support education at every level. NACEPF’s worldwide philanthropic efforts focus on providing access to the resources essential to human development and well-being. This includes access to healthy food, clean water, safe housing, education, healthcare, and faith-based services. NACEPF’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Mobile Beacon, broadband service to educational, nonprofit, and community anchor institutions throughout the United States. To learn more, visit www.nacepf.net.

 

About buildOn: At home or abroad, buildOn's goal is to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. Across the U.S., buildOn empowers urban youth to transform their neighborhoods through intensive community service -- working with senior citizens, the homeless, and younger children. These same students help build schools in some of the economically poorest countries in the world. Our students have contributed more than 2.2 million hours of service in the U.S., and have helped build over 1,351 schools in Burkina Faso, Haiti, Nicaragua, Nepal, Senegal, Malawi, and Mali. For more information, visit www.buildon.org. buildOn has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Lauren Yergeau
                  North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation
                  401-934-0500
                  lyergeau@mobilebeacon.org