Youth Venture

Eric is the executive director of Educate!, a non-profit organization that aims to empower the next generation of socially responsible leaders in Africa. Educate! equips students in Uganda to create social enterprises and become leaders across diverse sectors of society.

Eric started Educate! when he was 17 after traveling to Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda to create a film about the life of refugees. There he met Benson Olivier, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo. One evening, sitting in Benson’s home, a small mud hut, Benson told Eric how he lost his parents in the brutal Congolese war, fled on his own to Kyangwali, and fought to survive as a refugee. Eric asked what he could do to help. Benson asked only for an education so he could solve the challenges faced by his community and homeland. From his insightful words, Educate! was born with a mission to educate and empower the next generation of socially responsible leaders in Africa.

Today, Eric with the help of many others has built Educate! into an organization that is empowering 375 Scholars across Uganda to create social enterprises through an innovative two-year leadership curriculum and long-term mentoring.

Eric graduated from Fairview High School in Boulder Colorado in 2003 and then from Amherst College in Massachusetts in 2007. He likes skiing of all kinds, discussing social change, and is reportedly very good at catching food in his mouth.

• I launched a venture more than a year ago and want help to keep it going and growing
• I have started a venture and want to share insights
• I want to reach out to YV alumni
• Interested in learning more about Youth Venture and receiving advice from the Youth Venture community.