About Reaching Beyond Globally
Reaching Beyond Globally is a non-profit 501 (C) (3) dedicated to bringing education to children who otherwise may not be given the opportunity to attend secondary school. Reaching Beyond Globally aims to nurture and enhance their lives through supporting education and bringing them joy.
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Mission
Reaching Beyond Globally’s mission is to help any child in financial need pursue higher education, and give them the opportunity to change their life trajectory.
Reaching Beyond Globally pairs a student in need of financial support with a donor or patron of financial means. These donations allow each student to further their education and give them opportunities to find a career previously thought impossible. In doing this, Reaching Beyond Globally will support each child in fulfilling their potential, and further their impact on their village, community and country. Reaching Beyond Globally also aims to continue bringing enrichment programs to students who would otherwise never have the chance to participate in extracurricular programs.
Our Story
The First Fifteen
In the summer of 2018, Vicki Bassing retired from teaching ballet to children in the U.S. and Marianne Bassing returned to the U.S. after dancing professionally in Europe. This mother/daughter duo took a leap of faith and traveled to Kiryabicooli, a village in the bush of North Western Uganda and introduced over 300 children to ballet. Before going, Vicki and Marianne questioned whether their trip there would make an impact on the village, but in the words of the children, "You made us feel important." Upon returning to America, they knew that just by taking the time to travel to this village, they had given these children a gift of feeling seen and known.
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The following summer, Marianne and Vicki returned to teach and spread the joy of exploring ballet again. During this visit the children of Kiryabicooli expressed their desire to further their education, and find joy in other aspects of life, but unfortunately their families were not able to afford the school fees. After returning home from Kiryabicooli the second summer, Marianne and Vicki knew they needed to help the children attend secondary school.
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In November of 2019, Reaching Beyond Globally was created, a non- profit corporation allowing them to raise funds to support the financial needs of the children. Reaching Beyond Globally's inaugural class of ten students began their secondary school education in January 2020.
Our Goals
Empower children through education
Increase access to education in Uganda
Support students to graduate from high school
Fund 5 new students for the 2024 school year
What does Reaching Beyond Globally do for the children?
Reaching Beyond Globally is committed to funding each students secondary and post secondary school education. This includes school tuition, boarding and food fees, uniforms, and any other requirements. In the first year of being a 501 (c) (3) Reaching Beyond Globally was able to fund ten of the twelve graduating students from Deirdre Ann Academy through private donations. The students tested among the top students in all of Uganda and were all accepted into the top secondary schools of their choice. Unfortunately, not every family was able to afford the fees needed to attend secondary school. Reaching Beyond Globally was able to fund every student who needed financial help to attend school.
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In the five years of operation Reaching Beyond Globally has committed to sponsoring 15 students through their first six years of secondary and post secondary school education. This commitment prepares the sponsored students to step into the job market after completion of this portion of their eduction.
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Why do we sponsor students through six years of secondary and post secondary education?
When Reaching Beyond Globally first started sponsoring students, we committed to funding their first four years of secondary school education. When Vicki and Marianne returned to Kiryabicooli in June 2022 they learned that for the students to be able to take full advantage of their education, two years of post secondary school is important. In the two years after secondary school students will either attend A-Levels classes to advance to University, or attend certificate courses to directly enter the work-force upon completion.
Meet the Team
Marianne and Vicki Bassing are the mother daughter duo behind Reaching Beyond Globally. Both of them have been involved in the ballet world for their entire lives. While ballet is what brought them to Uganda and Deirdre Ann Academy, their passion for enrichment through arts and education is what brought them to create Reaching Beyond Globally.
Our Partners
Reaching Beyond Globally believes that outside enrichment is a vital part of education. Through their partnership with Só Dança, Marianne and Vicki have been able to bring brand new dance clothes to over 300 students at Deirdre Ann Academy every year they have visited Kiryabicooli. The penpal program through Feather and Wolves has allowed students from Marin County, California and students from Kiryabicooli, Uganda to share stories of their lives with each other. The JCC preschool in San Rafael, California raised funds to help build a play structure on Deirdre Ann Academy grounds that the students now enjoy during all day. MarinSEL, an environmental program at Terra Linda High
School, Marin County, created a program through Zoom for discussions about the environment, climate change, school work and soccer.
