The situation in Africa, and particularly in Uganda sometimes seems overwhelming. Some people ask, "The situation is so terrible, what can I possibly do to help?" I would suggest tackling a huge problem takes a lot of people doing small things.

George Srour, ISI's first Simon Fellowship awardee, started small and his project to help orphans in Uganda impacted by HIV/AIDS is getting bigger, and involving more of his peers. Recently, he founded a new non-profit organization called "Building Tomorrow". Here's the website: http://www.buildingtomorrow.org

Building Tomorrow is a non-profit initiative aimed at giving U.S. college and university students the opportunity to raise funds and awareness for infrastructure projects benefiting orphans impacted by HIV/AIDS. Projects for the current school year will benefit areas in and around Kampala, Uganda.

In the summer of 2004, Building Tomorrow founder George Srour interned at the United Nations World Food Programme Headquarters in Rome, Italy and then at a regional office in Kampala, Uganda. Part of his assignment was to study the structure of the school feeding initiative, a program designed to help lure kids into the classrooms and off the streets in developing countries such as Uganda.

While touring close to twenty schools in Kampala, Srour visited several sites benefiting from this program. One in particular, Meeting Point Kampala (MPK), was home to nearly 1,000 students and was holding classes in a poorly constructed timber building. The school's director indicated that while the school was in great need, the $10,000 price tag of a new structure was too prohibitive.

This figure in mind, Srour returned to The College of William & Mary and enlisted the help of several classmates, administrators and community members in a project called Christmas in Kampala. Several organizations helped to arrange fundraising activities that in just over six weeks yielded $45,000. On Christmas Day, a contingent of William & Mary students made a surprise delivery to the children of MPK with a holiday dinner and gifts for all, as well as enough money to build a new schoolhouse.

As a recipient of the inaugural William E. Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose, Srour has been working to replicate the model of Christmas in Kampala at other colleges and universities across the country under the name Building Tomorrow. The hope is for five to seven U.S. colleges and universities taking part in the 2005-06 project.

George has been going around to colleges and universities in the U.S. talking to students about his project and how they can become involved, including starting a chapter of "Building Tomorrow" on their own campus. To get more involved, contact George at: info@buildingtomorrow.org.