Roots to Rise – Our Flagship Program

Building Foundational Skills

Roots to Rise is our flagship program, helping primary-aged children improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Delivered in both schools and communities, the program works to ensure every child can read, write, and do basic math.

Learn about our implementers
Learn about our impact

Tackling the global educational challenge

Literacy and numeracy rates among children in Sub-Saharan Africa rank among the lowest in the world. Teacher shortages, inadequate training, and lack of support often leave struggling students behind as teachers do their best to reach students of varying learning levels. We’re committed to closing the learning gap for those left behind through evidence-based, cost-effective, community-powered solutions.

9/10

Children in Sub-Saharan Africa cannot read a simple text by age 10 (UNESCO, 2017).

8/10

Children in sub-Saharan Africa do not meet grade-level proficiency in numeracy (UNESCO, 2022).

Inclusive, level-appropriate learning for every child

Roots to Rise builds foundational skills by delivering inclusive, level-appropriate reading, writing, and math instruction inspired by the Teaching at the Right Level methodology. We utilize a blend of targeted instruction and structured pedagogy, ensuring we’re maximizing impact with proven approaches. Roots to Rise is not one-size-fits-all. It is welcoming to all abilities and integrates techniques from the Universal Design for Learning framework to support learners with disabilities. We recognize the unique barriers some learners face and are committed to providing flexible and adaptable learning environments.

School-based

Implemented by trained teachers in classrooms, which are conducted during fixed periods throughout the school week.

Community-based

Implemented by trained Community Education Volunteers in backyards, community-gathering spaces, and places of worship.
Learner Ezra identifies letters during a R2R school camp at St. Simon Katuugo Primary School in Kassanda District, Uganda.

The key components of the program

We offer Roots to Rise to Primary 1-5 in school and community settings, and in both, the goal is the same: to help primary-aged children learn to read, write, and do basic math.

When a child is identified for Roots to Rise, they undergo an assessment to determine the appropriate learning level. They then join a school- or community-based camp running 40 total hours. At the midpoint and end, we check their progress through simple assessments.

Roots to Rise camps use low-cost, locally available materials to keep the program practical and sustainable for every community.

And it works: after just one camp, about 70% of learners reach the expected skill level for their grade in literacy and in numeracy, gaining the skills they need to keep up in the classroom.

70.5%

Literacy, up from 12.0% at baseline

70.4%

Numeracy, up from 15.2% at baseline
Nuulu (center) poses with friends after a school-based R2R camp in Iganga District, Uganda.
Meet Nuulu Nakagolo, Age 12

From Number Struggles to the Top of Her Class

After participating in a Roots to Rise camp, 12-year-old Nuulu became the top student in her class. Before Roots to Rise, Nuulu couldn’t reliably count past 20 or recognize numbers beyond 10. Simple math problems took her much longer than her classmates, which affected both her grades and her confidence. After enrolling in Roots to Rise in March 2024, Nuulu progressed from Roots to Rise numeracy level 1 to level 4 in just 40 hours of instruction, mastering the foundational skills she’d been missing. Four months after completing Roots to Rise, Nuulu emerged as the top student in her Primary 4 class — a dramatic leap that seemed impossible when she first started. Today, Nuulu no longer relies on counting on her fingers and participates confidently in class. She credits her Roots to Rise experience for giving her the math skills that changed her academic trajectory.

Roots to Rise community camps: bringing education to all

Our mission is ‘community-powered learning,’ which features prominently in Roots to Rise implementation. Trained Community Education Volunteers conduct community camps after school and during school breaks in their backyards or public gathering spaces. These camps complement our teacher-led approach in the classroom and also reach out-of-school children. By working hand-in-hand with communities and meeting children where they are, we’re providing more opportunities for learning and growth.

CEV Susan Naluyima observes learners during an R2R community camp in Mityana District, Uganda.

872,102

Learners enrolled in community camps

43,608

Community camps

1.6

CEV facilitators per community camp, on average

Community Education Volunteer Francis Namugera leads an R2R camp in Mityana District, Uganda.

Francis Namugera – Community Education Volunteer in Mityana District, Uganda

“The children in my Roots to Rise camps go home and show their parents what they learned. When parents see their child reading for the first time or counting without fingers, they get so excited. Now I have more families asking me how to keep their children in school instead of having them help with domestic chores or work in the gardens all day. That’s a big change for our community.”

Roots to Rise FAQs

Check out some frequently asked questions about Roots to Rise.

Who receives Roots to Rise instruction?

Roots to Rise is geared for children aged Primary 1 to Primary 5. We currently deliver the program in rural communities in Uganda and Rwanda.

Who implements Roots to Rise?

Roots to Rise is delivered in schools by trained teachers and in communities by trained Community Education Volunteers. Learn more about our implementers here.

What makes Roots to Rise unique?

Roots to Rise integrates proven programs (such as Universal Design for Learning, social-emotional learning, and community mobilization), blending targeted instruction and structured pedagogy and placing a greater emphasis on learner comprehension and decoding to better support learners becoming fluent readers.

What are the mechanics of Roots to Rise?

Roots to Rise is administered in 40-hour-long camps over the course of several weeks. Children who are identified as potential participants are assessed at baseline and placed into a level-appropriate group. Roots to Rise consists of 3 levels, and a learner is evaluated at midline and endline to determine if and when they can move up to the next level or graduate from the program at the end of the camp!

Does Roots to Rise work?

Yes! Roots to Rise is extremely effective. Around 70% of learners who complete the 40 hours of a Roots to Rise camp reach grade-level proficiency in literacy and numeracy. Learn more about our impact here.

What if a learner doesn’t reach grade-level proficiency?

Grade-level proficiency is the basic set of skills a child needs to engage with lessons at their grade level. For learners who don’t reach minimum proficiency within the standard 40-hour cycle, we are testing new approaches such as extended learning time or adapting our programming to give learners the best chance to succeed.

Embracing inclusivity

We’re committed to education for children with disabilities (CWDs), and our programming has worked to support these learners from the beginning. Our integration of the Universal Design for Learning framework into Roots to Rise gives CWDs a better shot at learning and fosters belonging through activities like partner reading and group learning. Additionally, social-emotional learning techniques support academic readiness.

Belonging

Supports learners in expressing their and others’ right to inclusion and building confidence in their abilities.

Partner reading

Groups two to three learners — often those with differing abilities — to read aloud together and answer questions about what they read.

Group learning

Places learners into small groups to accomplish tasks as a team, while designating roles to foster confidence in participating.

Functions of fidgeting

Implements techniques that allow learners to move their bodies when necessary to focus on learning.

Related programs

Kasikombe Primary School learners do a R2R camp energizer.

Community Education Teams

Our key implementers Learn more

A Community Education Volunteer and learner.

Education System Strengthening

Creating sustainable change Learn more

Fellow Joseph Gitta demonstrates an R2R numeracy lesson.

Building Tomorrow Fellows

Apply to become a Fellow in Uganda or Rwanda Learn more

Support Roots to Rise learners now!

By giving to Building Tomorrow, you’re supporting a child’s ability to gain crucial foundational skills. Please donate today to join us in this work!

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