Our Story
Saint Bakhita Innovation Foundation (SBIF) began with a spark of possibility. Professor Wendy Angst and her students at the University of Notre Dame partnered with the Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center in Kalongo, Uganda, answering a call to help and bringing resources, support, and hope to young women seeking a better future. From that collaboration, a new mission was born, which is to continue, strengthen, and grow this work.
Rooted in the belief that every person deserves a chance, our foundation focuses on expanding access to education and opportunity. We support vocational scholars, early childhood education, community development projects, and initiatives designed to build financial independence and long-term sustainability.
Northern Uganda is still recovering from the 20-year LRA conflict, which left deep scars on 30,000 abducted children, communities displaced, and generations left without access to education. Today, poverty remains widespread. Families often survive on less than $1 a day, walk long distances for water, and live without electricity. Girls face the greatest obstacles, from early marriage to limited educational access.
Our work exists to transform that reality. Through education, training, and community-centered programs, Saint Bakhita’s Innovation Foundation invests in pathways that uplift individuals and strengthen the entire region. Because when one life flourishes, a community flourishes.
Our vision is rooted in the transformative power of education. We strive to provide opportunities that ignite potential, open doors, and inspire a new generation of learners, dreamers, and leaders.
At Saint Bakhita Innovation Foundation, we believe that when one life is given the opportunity to grow, an entire community flourishes.
Inspiring the next generation of changemakers.
Meet Saint Bakhita’s Head of School - Victoria Nyanjura
Victoria is a ‘20 Notre Dame graduate from the Master of Global Affairs program and is a driving force behind the successful collaboration between Saint Bakhita’s and Notre Dame. Victoria herself is a survivor of the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict. In 1996, at the age of 14, Victoria was abducted from school in Aboke, Uganda. She was held captive for 8 years before escaping with her two young children in her arms. Leading with both heart and mind, Victoria has helped lead a revival of Saint Bakhita’s, working closely with students, staff, and the community to demonstrate through actions and words all that is possible. Aside from her role leading Saint Bakhita’s, Victoria is the founder of Women in Action for Women (WAW), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of women through vocational and business training, and empowering women through storytelling.
Impacting Lives One At A Time
Scholars
Supported
TREES
planted
State-of-the-art
computers
Innovations launched
by scholars
Meet Our Team
Our Partners
