The “Co” in Coafrica stands for our coalition with others pursuing the same vision – a world where every child has access to a classroom. We have been so fortunate in our current coalition partners, specifically with BASIA.
Similar to Coafrica, Build-A-School Initiative in Africa (BASIA), is committed to getting school-age students out of the streets and into classrooms across Africa. BASIA is a local nonprofit started in Nigeria and spreading across several African countries.
The largest reason for BASIA’s success is its founder, president and CEO – Dr. Victor B. Ukorebi.
Dr. Ukorebi has worked with The United Nations in New York under the Late Kofi Annan leadership, and currently works as the African facilities manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BASIA has been his dream nonprofit – a place where he can give back to his home continent. Through his leadership and vision, he has created BASIA teams in each of the countries in which BASIA works, helping to train and direct the construction of classrooms in communities where the need is the greatest.
He has guided BASIA in partnership with many NGOs to alleviate challenges facing the school system in Africa including Advanced Education in Africa Incorporation, School Rising Organization, LDS Charities, as well as Coafrica. Victor was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, married his college sweetheart, Katie Carr in 2006, and they are the parents of 5 children currently living in Ghana.
As a coalition, BASIA and Coafrica have constructed several projects together, including two projects currently under construction: St Peters Primary School in Iyesi Ota, Nigeria, and CEG Kpogan in Lambou, Togo.
Thanks to Victor’s local leadership and all the excellent team members at BASIA, we are able to move forward together in our mutual goal of constructing classrooms for communities in need across Africa.
