About us
Who we are
A coalition of volunteers who believe in investing in communities to realize their full potential
We are professionals and student organizers ranging from engineers to doctors who believe that knowing where we work is the first step in realizing our vision.
Experts and regional partners help us develop projects whose problems and solutions are area and population-specific. We focus our research and collaboration in communities that exhibit a good fit with our values and priorities in three key areas: education, healthcare, and economic development.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted to the changing needs and climate of our areas of operation, expanding our scope beyond our work in education and childcare – Raise Uganda Now (RUN).
Today, our core values drive our research, due diligence, and fundraising to launch projects that are built to last. Our regional partners and staff work with us to implement, monitor, and grow vital programs to their communities.
Internationally, our volunteers – largely based out of Harvard University – are offered opportunities to grow and work with industry-leading experts to coordinate and implement projects that deliver on our goals.
Our Values
Mission
Empower communities with programs that improve their members’ health, education, and capacity for personal and professional development.
Vision
Create a future where all communities are able to develop and drive projects that champion the autonomy and well-being of their members.
Philosophy
Invest in raising the next generation of capable volunteers to collaborate with experts and full-time staff to launch and manage programs that deliver long-term success for regional partners and community members.
The Team
Joon Yang
Board of Directors
President
Maya Razmi
Board of DirectorS
Vice PresidenT
Lauren Kim
Board of Directors - Clerk
Harvard Co-Director
Colby Weiss
Board of Directors - Treasurer
Harvard Co-Director
Betty Kadondi Birungi
Executive Director
(RUN)
Keunseon Park
Director
Special Programs
William Cook
Board of Director Director
Patrick Asiku
General Counsel (RUN)
Sam Ju
Director, Finance
Minhye Park
Direcotr, education programs
Clare Mugabi
Head, Accounting (RUN)
Harvard Volunteers
Undergraduates at Harvard College
pursuing degrees in
medicine,
public health, education, and more.
Our Story
The Quest
Raise Community Group’s history with its staff and children began in 2014, when Joon Yang, Co-Founder and President, gathered a group of Harvard undergraduates to begin a quest to provide for the health, education, and future of some of the most underserved, yet promising children in the world.
A Focus in Childcare and Education
Upon registering in the United States as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Raise Uganda Now Inc. (RUN) was established, operating both the RUN Children’s Home for over 100 local orphans, as well as RUN Academy, a private school known for its excellence in education quality in the Wakiso District of Kampala.
In 2016, recognizing a greater need in areas beyond the reach of most NGOs, the orphanage relocated to the Bugiri District, a change that encouraged RUN to dedicate its resources primarily towards fostering and mentoring the children of especially underprivileged rural communities with scarce access to capital, electricity, transportation, and education.
Growing through Partnerships
In the following years, RUN partnered with and worked alongside dozens of companies, organizations, and academic institutions. Since our humble beginnings, we have touched the lives of over 350 boys and girls, raised over $300,000 (with 99% of proceedings going directly to Uganda), and have been regarded by the community as the most influential organization in the District’s history of holistic childcare and education interventions.
International Operation
In 2019, RUN expanded to become an international operation with close connections to Harvard University students, South Korean volunteers, and full-time Ugandan staff on-site. Today, RUN has overseen the growth and implementation of many projects and expanded its scope of impact, rebranding as Raise Community Group in 2022, to expand its scope to other communities in need.
Our Principles
Margin of Success
We focus on areas where our work meaningfully improves the likelihood of a successful outcome, often defined by the needs of the target community. We review aspects, such as –
- Project goals fall under our Mission, Value, and Philosophy
- Safe access and a way to grow our relationship with the beneficiary community
- High probability of success based on expert counsel and due diligence
- Availability of measurable impact
- Long-term autonomous operability by the community
Process Process Process
Projects we launch must satisfy each of the following criteria:
- Develop a clear value proposal that leverages our strengths and justifies our presence
- Identify environmental risk factors that materially affect the outcome of our goals
- Control the negative impact of risk factors to maximize the efficacy of our solution
- Secure human and capital resources required to drive a successful outcome
- Implement a cohesive plan that encompasses the execution of our strategy, assessment of progress, and long-term management