buildOn and NACEPF: 100 Schools. Countless Futures.
When the North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation (NACEPF) first partnered with buildOn, it was because we shared a simple belief: education has the power to transform lives.
Eight years later, our partnership has helped build 100 schools, support dozens of Adult Literacy Programs, and help thousands of out-of-school children return to learning.
But it’s about much more than impressive numbers. Each school built, each student returned to the classroom, and each adult educated represents a community that came together to invest in literacy and create new opportunities for future generations.
What You’ll Find in This Story
- How a shared commitment to education sparked a lasting partnership
- The impact of 100 schools across six countries
- Why community-led education creates lasting change
A Partnership Built on Shared Values
For Katherine Messier, President of NACEPF and founder of Mobile Beacon, a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to affordable broadband internet, the partnership with buildOn started through a family connection.
After hearing about buildOn from a relative who had gone on Trek, Katherine was introduced to founder and CEO Jim Ziolkowski. The conversation quickly revealed something important: both organizations were working toward the same goal.
“There was just so much mission alignment in terms of our core educational purpose,” Katherine recalled.
Education has always been at the heart of NACEPF’s work. Since 1989, the organization has invested in initiatives that expand access to learning and opportunity. Supporting buildOn’s work felt like a natural extension of that mission. “We know that education is one of the main things that you need in order to thrive and be successful and be independent and empowered,” Katherine explains. “Not everybody has that same level of access to education, which is why I love that buildOn has that role in every community that it serves.”
What began as support for school construction soon grew into something larger.
More Than Just Schools
Since 2017, NACEPF has helped support the construction of 100 schools across Malawi, Nepal, Nicaragua, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Haiti.
Those schools now serve more than 20,000 students every day.
For the communities that built them, the impact goes far beyond bricks and mortar.
In El Portillo, Nicaragua, women stepped into leadership roles during the construction process, helping carry materials, mix cement, and build alongside their neighbors.
“Before, we were discriminated against, and the men thought we did very little,” explains Blanca, a woman in the community. “But I felt capable of working alongside them—I moved blocks, I mixed concrete, and I did it all with the women on my squad. It was a beautiful experience.”
In Sassar, Senegal, students who once learned in temporary structures now study in permanent classrooms designed for learning and growth.
“I would like to one day meet NACEPF, who helped my community to build this magical school,” shares Khady, a student in Sassar. “So that I can thank them on behalf of the whole community for making our dream come true.”
Each school represents years of community commitment and a shared investment in the future.
Why Does an Integrated Approach Matter?
Over time, the partnership expanded beyond building classrooms.
Today, NACEPF supports all three of buildOn’s global programs: School Construction, Adult Literacy, and Enroll.
That matters because educational opportunity doesn’t begin and end with a new classroom.
Adult Literacy Programs help parents and community members develop the reading, writing, numeracy, and business skills needed to support their families and invest in education.
Our Enroll Program helps children who have fallen behind, dropped out, or never attended school find their way back to the classroom.
Together, these programs reinforce one another.
Children have a place to learn. Families gain tools to support education. Communities develop the resources and confidence to create lasting change.
Education That Reaches Across Generations
One of the outcomes Katherine is most passionate about is adult literacy. “I’m a huge advocate of that,” she said. “I think that’s so important.”
Since the partnership began, NACEPF has helped support 66 Adult Literacy Programs serving nearly 3,900 adults, the majority of whom are women.
Participants gain practical skills that help them improve their livelihoods, increase household income, and support their children’s education.
The impact often reaches far beyond a single participant. When a parent learns to read, a child has someone to help them with schoolwork. When a family increases its income, school fees become more manageable. When community members invest in one another, opportunity grows.
That’s how educational change becomes generational change.
Why Do Nonprofit Partnerships Matter?
Katherine believes that no organization creates lasting impact alone. “I think it’s about the ability to stack impact,” she said. “That’s the real power of nonprofits working together with other nonprofits.”
When organizations combine resources, expertise, and shared purpose, the result becomes larger than any one partner could achieve independently.
That philosophy is visible across every community touched by this partnership.
What’s Next for buildOn and NACEPF?
Together, buildOn and NACEPF have helped build 100 schools, support 66 Adult Literacy Programs, and expand educational opportunities for thousands of children and adults.
Those numbers are significant.
But the real story is found in the communities behind them. It’s found in the parents who can now read. The students who now have a safe place to learn. The women who stepped into leadership roles during school construction.
And the communities that continue proving what is possible when people come together around a shared belief in education.
If you want to help unite and ignite communities around the globe through service and education, consider making a tax-deductible donation to support buildOn’s work today.