Letter from the Director Of Operations

Dear Friends and Partners,

As we close out this quarter across our AsOne communities, we're grateful to pause and share what this season has meant for our team and the families we serve.

This quarter, we strengthened leadership at our Central Office to prepare for AsOne's expansion into our tenth community. We welcomed five new team members — two Operations Managers, a Programs Quality Manager, a Finance Officer, and an HR Officer — so that as we grow, every community can count on steady, consistent support from the center.

We also made significant progress on the systems that keep our work accountable and trustworthy. This quarter, we began rolling out comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures and Audit Scorecards across multiple departments — Finance, Education, Agriculture, Health — and organization-wide. This work isn't glamorous, but it's what lets us grow with integrity — and it reflects something we've learned deeply this quarter: sustainable growth depends on strong systems and strong leadership.

What did we learn this quarter? Mostly this: growth without structure is fragile, but structure built with care can carry real weight. As we continue to add new AsOne communities that multiply our reach and impact, we've learned that the systems and the people have to grow together.

That same spirit is carrying us toward self-sustainability. Across our communities, staff and community members alike are stepping into ownership of this work — not just receiving support, but building toward the day it's no longer needed. That shift, more than any single number, is the story of this quarter.

None of this happens without you. To our donors and partners: thank you for believing in a model of development that takes time, requires structure, and demands trust — and for staying with us as we build both the systems and the leadership that will carry AsOne's mission into its next ten communities and beyond. We're so grateful to walk this road with you.

Sylvia Uwambaye

Director Of Operations

Q3 Highlights

Hosted the AsOne Labs Leadership Retreat in Namayemba, bringing together 54 AsOne leaders for three days of leadership development.
Launched the AsOne Labs Loan Program, providing loans to 4 staff and 5 alumni pursuing further education.
Began a major hiring push in Namutumba, receiving over 2,000 applicants to build the team ahead of our January 2027 community opening.
Made significant construction progress (75%) on the new school and health center in Namutumba (community #9) and the high schools in Luuka and Serere (communities #6 and #7).

What and How We’re Learning

1) How Are Our Farmers Growing?

This quarter, AsOne surveyed 2,252 farmers across all eight communities to better understand the impact of our agriculture program. The results were encouraging: 66% reported increased farm yields, 65% increased household income, and 83% now own livestock. Farmers also reported an 80% increase in their sense of hope for the future, rising from an average of 4.0 before AsOne to 7.2 today, alongside growth in their relationship with Christ. These findings are helping us see what is working, where farmers are experiencing meaningful change, and how we can continue strengthening the program for the families we serve.

2) What Does Quality Mean to Those We Serve?

During the quarter we also asked 500 students, parents, and patients across all eight AsOne communities what quality means to them by ranking six priorities. The clearest takeaway was that real results matter most: seeing a child learn and improve or a patient get better ranked as the top priority, followed closely by respectful staff treatment. Interestingly, price ranked lowest in importance.

Those findings are helping us sharpen how we define and deliver quality across AsOne. Our TRUST Quality Standard—Trustworthy, Respectful, Uniform, Strong, and Tangible—reflects what families told us they value most: dependable services, dignity and respect, and outcomes they can see and experience. We are now using this feedback to strengthen our programs and address areas where we can improve.

Updates

1) AsOne Labs Leadership Retreat

In September, the AsOne Labs Leadership Retreat brought together 54 leaders from our Central Office, all eight AsOne communities, and the U.S. team for three days in Namayemba focused on the theme Lead Self, Lead Others, Lead Teams. Through sessions on personal leadership, crucial conversations, teamwork, and multiplying the strengths of others, leaders were equipped to serve their teams and communities more effectively. The retreat concluded with a commissioning and blessing of 24 Emerging Leaders, marking an important step as they continue growing into greater leadership across AsOne.

2) AsOne Loan Program

AsOne launched the AsOne Labs: Education Loan Fund this quarter, offering education loans to AsOne staff and alumni pursuing further training and degrees. After a thorough application process, 9 loans were awarded—4 to staff and 5 to alumni. By making continued education more accessible, the program is helping recipients grow their skills, advance their careers, and create greater opportunity for their families and communities.

3) Raising the Standards

Since April, AsOne leaders from education, health, agriculture, finance, and operations have been working together to define the specific standards required to deliver strong, consistent programs in every community. Those standards have now been consolidated and reviewed by our new Program Quality Manager, Moses Mukose, and are being rolled out through a tiered training process—first to community leaders, then to front-line staff. We also added two Operations Managers to help oversee and support our growing number of communities, strengthening consistency and accountability across the organization. By early October, we expect the first four communities to be fully trained, helping ensure that as AsOne grows, the quality of our programs grows with us.

Expansion Updates

1) Community #9: Namutumba Update

Construction is moving quickly in Namutumba, our ninth community, as we prepare to open the school and health center in January 2027. The new school and health center construction are 75% complete. At the same time, we’ve begun recruiting teachers, healthcare professionals, and other staff—bringing us one step closer to opening the doors and welcoming families in Namutumba.

2) Serere and Luuka High Schools

Construction is also progressing at our new high schools in Luuka and Serere, communities #6 and #7, both opening in January 2027. Classroom buildings are moving through plastering and finishing work as the campuses take shape and prepare to welcome students. Once fully operational, each school will serve up to 700 students, giving more young people access to quality, Christ-centered secondary education close to home.

Looking Ahead to Q4, 2026

As we enter the fourth quarter of 2026, we are committed to finishing the year strong in alignment with our strategic plan. Focuses for this quarter include:

1) Preparing for National Exams

Students across AsOne schools are preparing for Uganda’s national exams. Primary Seven students will sit for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), while Senior Four students will take the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE)—important milestones that help determine their next steps in education. Please join us in praying for our students—for focus, confidence, wisdom, and peace as they prepare and sit for their exams.

2) Preparing to Open Namutumba

As we head into Q4, our focus in Namutumba is shifting from construction to preparing to open the doors. We’ll begin introducing the new school and health center throughout the community while making a major hiring push to build the teams who will serve there. Recruitment is already happening through local radio and job postings, with strong interest and interviews in progress as we prepare to welcome students, patients, and families in January 2027.

ICYMI: The Story Video Series

In case you missed it, this summer we took you behind the scenes of AsOne’s work through Season 4 of our mini-series, The Story. Across three episodes, we explore education, healthcare, and agriculture through the people, programs, and communities at the heart of the work.

All three episodes are now available! Watch Episodes 1–3 and see how these interconnected areas are creating lasting impact across rural Uganda.

Fall Events

This fall, join us in South Dakota and Denver for a series of intimate gatherings hosted in homes and community spaces. Together, we'll reflect on what God has done through AsOne, share stories of impact from Uganda, and explore the opportunities, challenges, and vision shaping our next chapter.

We hope you'll join us for an evening of meaningful conversation, connection, and a glimpse into where we believe God is leading AsOne in the years ahead.