A year of growth and resilience

Join us in reflecting on another year of deep collaboration and transformative impact on children and communities across East and West Africa.

Support FMFM’s projects in 2024

A letter from our founder

Dear FMFM Family,

As we reflect on the past year, I'm filled with pride and gratitude for what we've achieved together. Our journey in 2023 has been remarkable, touching lives in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Each project, from the school gardens to women’s empowerment programs to school latrines, has brought us closer to a world where every child can thrive.

Your support has been crucial. It fuels our mission and drives impactful change across Africa. With the launch of the Global Students program, we're excited to connect more hearts and minds, fostering empathy and participation among young people worldwide.

Thank you for standing with us. Your faith in our work transforms lives every day. Let's continue to champion our students and women, proving what our collective dedication can achieve. Here's to making even more impact together in 2024.

Warmly,

Maria Nicholas-Groves
Founder, Feeding Mouths Filling Minds

Watch this video for an overview of FMFM’s impact and our vision for what’s to come.

Our new Women's Empowerment Program supported this group of mothers in Liberia. They received training & tools to grow revenue-generating crops to support their families.

Our new Women's Empowerment Program supported this group of mothers in Liberia. They received training & tools to grow revenue-generating crops to support their families.

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

Through collaboration with Act-NGONO Tanzania, we've made strides in sanitation and water access, completing two latrine projects and one water system, impacting 1,712 lives.

Through collaboration with Act-NGONO Tanzania, we've made strides in sanitation and water access, completing two latrine projects and one water system, impacting 1,712 lives.

We supported the first school garden at Bumbogo Secondary School in Rwanda. Ensuring that the children have a balanced diet at school!

We supported the first school garden at Bumbogo Secondary School in Rwanda. Ensuring that the children have a balanced diet at school!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

This year, our initiatives spanned East and West Africa, collaborating with diverse partners on projects in water, sanitation, nutrition, education, and women's empowerment. Our impact reached across Rwanda, Tanzania, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, touching the lives of 4,950 individuals in 2023. Notable achievements include implementing two water systems in Rwandan schools, establishing two water and sanitation facilities in Tanzania, initiating a school farm in Liberia, and contributing to women's empowerment programs led by Humanity Care Liberia. Additionally, we celebrated the much-anticipated opening of Koinadugu College.

Growing our team

In 2023, we were thrilled to welcome new talent and passion into our fold. The addition of Jacob Breit as our Development Coordinator and Ngabire Missy as our Partnership Coordinator, alongside the invaluable experience brought by Merab Ochieng as our Grant Coordinator in January 2024, has invigorated our team. This growth has not only expanded our capacity but also deepened our expertise, enabling us to reach further and impact more lives across Africa.

Broadening our impact

This past year, FMFM has broadened its impact significantly, launching ambitious projects like the Poultry Initiative in Rwanda and expanding our footprint in education with the opening of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone. Our strategic partnerships have flourished, allowing us to undertake initiatives that directly address the immediate needs of communities while laying the groundwork for sustainable development.

Connecting locally

Our commitment to creating meaningful, local connections has never been stronger. In 2023, we solidified relationships with in-country partners, ensuring that every project was rooted in local needs and driven by community leadership. This local-first approach has enabled us to tailor our initiatives for maximum relevance and impact, forging bonds that transcend geography and culture.

Financial Report

In 2023, our collective efforts raised a remarkable total of $17,675.93, enabling us to invest deeply in the communities we serve. What’s more, our administrative costs have been entirely offset by a private donation - allowing 100% of funds raised to go straight to our projects. The breakdown of funds allocated to each country and project, illustrated in our accompanying pie graph, reflects our strategic approach to addressing the most urgent needs while fostering long-term resilience and self-sufficiency.

Fund allocation

Your donations are used to fund a variety of different types of projects - always determined in conjunction with our beneficiary partner based on greatest area of need.

Projects by country

In 2023, your donations funded 8 new projects in three countries. We continue to monitor and maintain projects funded in prior years as well.

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Our Impact

Since our inception, Feeding Mouths Filling Minds has been driven by a singular mission: to eliminate hunger and enhance education in Africa, ensuring children can focus on their future.

To date, our collective efforts have catalyzed over 30 projects across East and West Africa, directly impacting the lives of more than 17,000 individuals.

Support of the Global Goals

Our work aligns with and supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring our commitment to fostering sustainable, inclusive growth. The SDGs we've contributed to include:

Goal 2: Zero Hunger. By implementing sustainable food sources and school feeding programs, we've worked to eradicate hunger and ensure access to nutritious food for all.

Goal 2: Zero Hunger. By implementing sustainable food sources and school feeding programs, we've worked to eradicate hunger and ensure access to nutritious food for all.

Goal 4: Quality Education. Our educational programs & infrastructure projects, like the construction of Koinadugu College, provide quality education & promote lifelong learning.

Goal 4: Quality Education. Our educational programs & infrastructure projects, like the construction of Koinadugu College, provide quality education & promote lifelong learning.

Goal 6: Clean Water & Sanitation. By developing water systems & sanitation facilities, we've helped improve health & well-being, ensuring access to clean water & sanitation.

Goal 6: Clean Water & Sanitation. By developing water systems & sanitation facilities, we've helped improve health & well-being, ensuring access to clean water & sanitation.

Total Projects

FMFM has successfully completed over 30 projects across 8 countries, directly addressing the needs for clean water, sustainable food sources, and educational opportunities.

Total Lives Impacted

Through these initiatives, we've positively changed the lives of over 17,000 individuals, empowering communities and fostering a brighter future for thousands.

Total Funds Raised

Through the generosity of our supporters, FMFM has raised and efficiently allocated over $100,000 to fund these life-changing projects.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

Our new Women's Empowerment Program supported this group of mothers in Liberia. They received training & tools to grow revenue-generating crops to support their families.

Our new Women's Empowerment Program supported this group of mothers in Liberia. They received training & tools to grow revenue-generating crops to support their families.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported the founding of Koinadugu College in Sierra Leone, which officially opened doors in January 2024.

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

We supported rainwater harvesting & filtration systems for this school in Rwanda. For many, this is the first time children have drank filtered water from a tap!

2023 Project Highlights

Each community we serve faces unique challenges, from the dire need for clean water to the essential requirement for renewable food sources. Our project-based, collaborative approach ensures that every initiative is driven by local leaders, using local tools, talent, and resources. This methodology guarantees that the projects we embark on truly belong to the communities they serve, ensuring sustainability and impact for years and generations to come.

Read about our 2023 accomplishments country-by-country:

  • Our partnership with Water Access Rwanda led to the completion of two significant water projects, touching the lives of over 1,551 individuals. The two projects were implemented at St Jean Bosco Secondary School and Imizi Children’s Home locates in Kamonyi and Kayonza, respectively.

  • Through collaboration with Act-NGONO Tanzania, we've made strides in sanitation and water access, completing two latrine projects and one water system, impacting 1,712 lives. All projects are located in Muleba District, Tanzania

  • The Maria Nicholas Groves Excellent School System now serves 157 students, with an expansion expected to accommodate over 300. Our Home Grown School Feeding Program, coupled with women's empowerment efforts, has significantly contributed to the local community's sustainability impacting a total of 1500 individuals.

  • Koinadugu College, a beacon of our commitment to education and sustainable development, welcomed its first cohort of 20 students and a staff of 10. The $40,000 in funding marks a significant milestone towards nurturing young minds.

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School poultry project in Rwanda

Thanks to our donors' support on Giving Tuesday in 2023, we are making a huge impact at Bumbogo Secondary School in Rwanda. We are successfully initiating a new poultry project, an ambitious follow-up to our earlier triumph in agricultural innovation. This initiative introduces 1000 hens to the school's farm, expanding our impact by providing essential protein through eggs, crucial for the students' cognitive development and overall health. Beyond nourishing minds, the project is becoming a sustainable source of income for the school, with egg sales supporting operational costs. This holistic approach not only underscores our commitment to sustainable education but also celebrates a new milestone in self-sufficiency and student well-being.

Koinadugu College Is Open!

Watch the story behind Koinadugu College - the first higher education option in remote Kabala, Sierra Leone. FMFM leaders have supported the strategic planning and founding of the university over the past 5 years; while FMFM donations have contributed to the college’s first academic building, cassava processing equipment and more. The school received accreditation by the Ministry of Education and Tertiary Education Commission in 2023, and took in its first cohort of students in January 2024.

Our farm project in Gatune, Kenya

Our development coordinator, Jacob Breit, visited our longest-term partner, Mama Zipporah, at the Gatune Farm project in Gatune, Kenya. Mama was the first partner that our founder, Maria Nicholas-Groves, worked with when FMFM was founded and it was a gift to see how our impact has flourished so many years later. We learned about the current state of the farm pond (which FMFM funded) and what her vision for expansion looks like. Watch the video to learn more and see an update!

FMFM team’s site visits in Rwanda

In spring 2023, FMFM's fundraising coordinator and partnership coordinator visited a number of schools with which we have active projects or are exploring potential projects with in Rwanda. This video is a recap of our visit and what we learned!

Keep their growing minds engaged

Meet the team

Maria Nicholas-Groves, Founder

Maria Nicholas-Groves
Founder

Jacob Breit
Development Coordinator

Merab Dinah Ochieng
Grant Coordinator

Missy Olivia Ngabire
Partnerships Coordinator

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Looking Ahead: Continuing Our Mission

As we move forward, FMFM remains committed to deepening and widening our impact. By working hand-in-hand with community leaders and leveraging local expertise, we aim to break the cycle of poverty, ensuring children can nourish their minds and bodies, and communities can sustainably develop for generations to come.

We invite you to join us on this journey of transformation and hope. Together, we can create a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive, free from the constraints of hunger and lack of education.

Credits and Thanks

Board & Volunteers

We couldn’t do it all without the expertise of our village of professionals who give their time to us. These individuals have served in varying capacities on committees, as interns, board members and donated their time and expertise:

  • Sarah Fracek*

  • Tom Kleewein*

  • Derek Nicholas*

  • Archie Ardalan*

  • Ana Kraft*

  • Melissa Howard*

  • Maryam Tabrizi*

  • Lisa Ramirez*

  • Malissa Kulick*

  • Holly Baumgart

  • Leanne Roth

  • Dukundane Eric

  • Anika Krishnamurti+

  • Avery Meierdirk+

  • Maisha Islam+

*Denotes 2023 Board of Directors

+Denotes 2023 Intern

Key Sponsors & Donors

Every donation in any amount makes and impact and we give our thanks to each and every one of our donors! These individuals and businesses contributed significant funds and in-kind services to our projects in 2023:

  • Nikki Palmer-Quade

  • Brad Quade

  • Holly Baumgart

  • Jennifer & John Dupies

  • Ana Kraft

  • Dmitry Krivochenitser

  • Amy & Nick Falluca

  • Erin Polich

  • Jay and Erin Schwane

  • Ehsan Saleki

  • David & Teddy Nicholas

  • James Nicholas

  • Daniel Zierath

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Partner Organizations

These organizations have collaborated with us to bring our projects to life on the ground in East and West Africa. We could not accomplish our work without these critical partners:

  • Strides for Africa

  • Water Access Rwanda

  • Humanity Care Liberia

  • Project 1808

  • ACT-Ngono Tanzania

  • Bumbogo Secondary Schools

  • Roots Ethiopia

  • Imizi Children’s Center

  • Hope for Huruma and Huruma Children’s Home

Join Us.

Your support is crucial to our ongoing and future projects. Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word, your contribution makes a world of difference. Let's continue to work together, building a future where every community can flourish.