After witnessing a number of failed philanthropic projects in Uganda, Brooke Stern created Supporting Opportunities for Ugandans to Learn (S.O.U.L.), empowering Ugandans to lift themselves out of grinding poverty and providing self-sustainable solutions in education, healthcare, and business entrepreneurship opportunities. Just after finishing her nursing degree from the Denver School of Nursing in 2009, Stern went on a backpacking trip and volunteered in Uganda, where she encountered the overwhelming problems facing the country, but was simultaneously captivated by the villagers’ optimism and their desire to learn. She spent the next year working with and listening to Ugandans about their needs and drives, to ensure that the S.O.U.L. Foundation could give them the tools to change their own lives. The foundation funds technology and mentorship initiatives for schools, business and food cooperatives, as well as immunizations, HIV testing, and other medical care. In addition, believing that empowering women is the key to Uganda’s long-term success, the organization has developed business cooperatives and training to elevate women’s positions in their communities. As of 2015, the foundation has also launched a maternal health network offering pre- and postnatal care, skilled childbirth, and other services.

Brooke Stern is a grantee of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York (JWFNY), and is featured as part of a partnership between JWA and JWFNY spotlighting Jewish women social entrepreneurs.