About NIDO
About
NEXIM International Development Organization (NIDO)
NEXIM International Development Organization (NIDO) is a Canadian registered charitable organization that is closely associated with NEXIM HealthCare Consultants Inc., a well-established Canadian healthcare provider.
Based out of Toronto, Ontario, NIDO focuses on the 4 E’s of Education, Environment, Gender Equality and Economic Sustainability in East Africa.
NIDO is working to advance wildlife protection, access to education and help communities in the third world adapt to climate change through improved access to green energy technologies. Founded by former Ugandan citizen Henry Lukenge, NIDO builds both primary and secondary schools in East Africa that offer free education to the children of conservation officers who pledge to avoid corruption and prevent poaching of endangered animals in East Africa.
In addition, NIDO offers small business grants, education grants, sports grants, and sustainable energy solutions for the region. In Canada, NIDO offers financial literacy and employment training programs to BIPOC youth in Toronto ON.
Our Philosophy
NIDO work in Ugandan communities partnering with local schools, vocational training establishments and service providers to improve educational attainment, advance wildlife conservation goals and also support climate change initiatives via support to eco-friendly local initiatives
Our Mission
NIDO’s mission can be encapsulated into the 4 E’s: Education, Environment, Equality and Economy
How NIDO's 4 E's work
Education is one of the most stabilizing forces in the life of a child and of a community’s future. Uganda, one of the poorest countries in the world, does not provide universal/public access to basic services like primary education. The government of Uganda has left many communities without access to a quality education for their children due to a lack of proper classroom space, furniture,
dormitories, safe drinking water, and proper meals for students. For example, it is common for students to attend school under tree sheds, in the bombed-out ruins of former schools, or out in the open air. Ugandan conservation rangers, working at the front lines of endangered animal conservation and tasked with the reporting of
poachers, endure risky conditions and are poorly paid.
The cost of basic needs like education and healthcare is many times what conservation rangers earn. In order to offer their children a better life they often turn to an alternate source of revenue – poachers. Through bursaries and school building NIDO provides free schooling to the children of conservation rangers if they commit to reporting poachers, while not assisting poachers in their activities. Similarly, the members of the local community who share the ecosystem with the wildlife receive a free education if they commit to reporting poachers. In the last step of this conservation effort, children of poachers are welcomed to the school if their parents give up poaching. The Board of Directors of the Mother Kevin Primary School includes rangers, local education officials and several interest groups like local wildlife protection agencies who ensure the school’s mandate. They monitor to make sure these commitments by conservation rangers, the community, and reformed poachers are upheld. This innovative solution takes
apart the framework of poaching at a systemic level.
Our Vision
A caring handshake comes from both sides. NIDO empowers communities by increasing access to basic services, with focuses on education for children & youth irrespective of genders, cleaner energy alternatives, and assistance in the financing of local start-up business in Uganda. In exchange for this, Ugandan wildlife conservation rangers and community members commit to the better protection of endangered animals and assist in the building of critical infrastructure that benefits the community.
This powerful partnership helps support the 4 E’s of access to Education, Environmental protection, gender Equality and social Economic sustainability in a lasting way.
1 – We aim to accelerate social economic transformation for individuals from economically deprived communities by:
- Granting and administering bursaries in primary and secondary schools for girls from primary school to secondary school right up to Advanced level or equivalent.
- Granting and administering bursaries for Vocational training to youths from poor communities specifically from rural areas and / or urban slums.
2 – Aid wildlife conservation through economic transformation for individuals from areas close to wildlife protection areas in Africa with emphasis on east and southern Africa.
- By advancing access to primary, high school education and Vocational education to pupils who work in or live close to wildlife protection areas in east and southern Africa
3 – Support climate change initiatives through support to eco-friendly local initiatives such as low-cost loans for schools to acquire energy efficient stoves
Active Programs
- School infrastructure – hostels, classrooms, administration blocks for safe learning environments. Clean water and eco-friendly kitchens to reduce reliance of tree-burned charcoal
- Education Bursaries – three active categories as below:
- Tree lion and Rhino conservation in East Africa – Beneficiaries are communities around Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania to acquire nursing or other trade skills qualifications. Partnerships in place to help them attend nursing & midwifery, welding, carpentry / joinery, plumbing, motor vehicle mechanic and building and bricklaying in exchange for supporting wild-life conservation programs in the areas.
- Bwindi, Uganda primate conservation community partnership – For families in or around Bwindi-Mgahinga primate (mountain gorilla) conservation area, covering full tuition for primary, high school, and vocational education in exchange for supporting wild-life conservation programs in the areas.
- Kampala, Uganda urban slum revival – Beneficiaries live in extreme urban poverty of one of the biggest slum areas. Covers full tuition for primary, high school, and vocational education. Supervised by a local partner.
- Health and social care training – Advanced stages of registering private career college that will provide health and social care training with net earnings going to fund NIDO programs
- SUUBI Tours – www.suubimusic.com
- Knowledge Box – https://knowledge-box.ca/
