Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center
Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center (SBVTC) in Kalongo, Uganda, is the Powerful Means Initiative’s first partner and serves as the proof of concept for what is possible through experiential learning that moves from idea to implementation. St. Bakhita’s is a Catholic school founded in 2007 to educate girls who were abducted in the Lord’s Resistance conflict so they could support themselves and their children.
In 2020, Professor Angst’s class developed a partnership between Notre Dame and St. Bakhita’s to support the school in becoming self-sustaining and to improve the economic prosperity of the region through innovation and entrepreneurship. In their vocational training, the young women at the school create businesses to forge their own futures and contribute to the economic prosperity of the region.
“Engaging in this project with SBVTC has been transformative, igniting a deep sense of purpose within me. After this trip, my commitment and passion for this project is stronger than it has ever been.”
Jake W. ('25)
Through Professor Angst's Design Thinking Immersion class and PMI’s Innovation for Impact student club, Notre Dame students directly contribute to project work for the school and assist with driving revenue-generating programs and designing a model for sustainability. This partnership has seen the development of new micro-businesses such as poultry and egg sales, hairdressing and salon services, textile sales, restaurant and catering services and an early childhood development center offering educational support to St. Bakhita students, their children and the Kalongo community.
In July 2022, a crew of NBC producers and videographers traveled with a team of Notre Dame students and faculty to capture some of the work being done at Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center. The resulting footage became one of Notre Dame's award-winning What Would You Fight For? video series and was released in November, 2022. The video features four women central to the collaboration: Victoria Nyanjura, Wendy Angst, Falida Alanyo (SBVTC '22) and Lynsee Ludwick (ND '23).
Fighting to Grow the Good in Business
Partner Impact
- 156 Innovation Scholar graduates
- 10% of graduates became Innovation Fellows
- 20,000 trees planted at Innovation Acres
- 7 microbusinesses launched and ongoing
Leadership
Victoria Nyanjura
Victoria Nyanjura is a 2020 graduate of Notre Dame's Masters of Global Affairs program and the head of Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center in Uganda. She herself was abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army in 1996 and held captive for 8 years. When she escaped, Victoria was determined to create a bright future for herself and for girls like her through the power of education.
I advocate for women and children in conflict and post conflict situations, seeking to bring attention to the survivors of our world’s most vulnerable population.
Victoria Nyanjura
Leading with both heart and mind, Victoria has helped lead a revival of Saint Bakhita’s, working closely with students, staff and the community to demonstrate through actions and words all that is possible. Aside from her role leading Saint Bakhita’s, Victoria holds several notable roles including as the founder of Women in Action for Women (WAW), the 2024 Chairperson of United Nations' Voluntary Trust Fund and a founding member of the Leadership Council of the Global Survivor Network.
She has over ten years of experience in peace building in Uganda, the United States and Jordan, and has also worked in partnerships building and fundraising for organizational development.
