Episode 36
#36. Echoing Hope: Holistic Education in Uganda and around the World
Will Lenzen Jr. is the founder of Echo. Beginning in Western Uganda, holistic education is making a difference one child and one family at a time through Echo.
Echo’s model is sustainable and community building. It is a simple, replicable system, based on research, local children’s needs and measured growth.
What You’ll Learn:
- Some of the practicalities of starting an international not-for-profit
- About the impact of holistic education and removing barriers to schooling
- The importance of understanding children’s needs in different communities
About the Guest:
Will Lenzen Jr. is the Founder of ECHO, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to helping children in developing communities get access to holistic education.
After years of research and exploration informing the development of Echo, Will and his team started in Western Uganda. They are passionate about helping children around the world be echoes of hope in their communities.
Will graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a degree in Advertising and a minor in Japanese. He has been a product designer and writer for the last 15 years and resides in NYC.
Links Related to Episode:
Connect with Echo on Instagram
Timestamped Show Notes:
01:09 - Topic: The Importance of Education and Equipping Students with Resources to Help Them Succeed
01:49 - How Does Echo Work?
02:58 - Replicable Empowerment through Holistic Education
03:50 - Echo's Vision
04:03 - Starting in Uganda
04:18 - Poverty!
04:44 - Meeting Ugandan Leaders and a Beta Run
05:47 - Starvation Poverty and Perspective
07:25 - Building Life Experiences that Perspective
08:15 - Holistic Educational Empowerment and Differentiating Needs of Children
09:02 - The Significance of a Toothbrush
10:28 - Barriers to Kids Finishing School
10:46 - Echo, Impacting Multiple Levels
12:39 - Intentionality
13:37 - Helping Girls Finish School in Uganda
15:30 - One Big Barrier to Education
16:04 - How Crucial Is Education
16:54 - Storytelling, Curiosity, Learning and Raising the Bar
18:20 - Makings of a Village Scribe
19:29 - Holistic Education vs State Madated Teachings
22:15 - Boxes for Kids in Different Communities
24:59 - Connect with Echo Especially if You Know a Community that Echo Can Help
26:13 - Anyone Can Be the Echo of Hope in Their Life and Community
27:07 - Google and a Dad Joke
