Solving Big Problems Together: Uganda's Four-Pillar Model for Community Transformation
Join host Justin Forman in conversation with Andrew DeVaney, founder of As One Africa, for an inspiring discussion about what it takes to solve interconnected problems in rural Uganda. From his friendship with a rural educator to building a four-pronged model serving 50,000 patients, 4,000 students, and 5,000 farmers annually, Andrew shares how empowering Ugandans to solve Ugandan problems creates sustainable transformation.
This episode explores the power of earned revenue models over aid dependency, the importance of treating beneficiaries as customers, and why time in the game matters more than quick wins. Discover how collaboration, storytelling, and Kingdom partnership can address some of the world's most pressing challenges.
Key Topics:
- Uganda's demographic advantage: 80% under 30, 50% under 18
- The four-pillar model: schools, health centers, farms, and businesses working together
- Why "catching a thief requires sending a thief" - the power of local problem-solvers
- Earned revenue vs. aid dependency: treating beneficiaries as customers with voice
- How competition and feedback loops drive innovation and dignity
- The interconnectivity of rural poverty: education, healthcare, agriculture, and employment
- Building sustainable models that don't depend on foreign funding
- Praxis lessons: balancing venture building with soul care for long-term impact
Notable Quotes:
"The young people that are coming up, they're now being educated, they're going to school, they desire a different opportunity within the country that they live in, and expect better from their leaders." - Andrew DeVaney
"Ugandans empowering Ugandans. This is something that there's this self perpetuating feedback loop that pushes Ugandans to want to do more." - Andrew DeVaney
"Time in the game is going to be such a big deal. For entrepreneurs, for investors, for problem solvers." - Andrew DeVaney
