Jan. 14, 2025

This paid piece is sponsored by POET.

“Resilience comes from not looking at the problem but looking at the potential of these families and young people,” said Henry Iwumbwe, a panelist at A Night for Change.

In late 2024, Seeds of Change, the nonprofit organization established by POET CEO Jeff Broin and his wife, Tammie, hosted its annual A Night for Change fundraiser in Sioux Falls. This inspiring evening brought the heart of Africa to over 400 attendees, spotlighting the life-changing initiatives of Seeds of Change’s partners working on the ground in Uganda and beyond.

Seeds of Change, which currently operates in 19 countries, is rooted in three core missions: Mission Grow, aimed at agriculture and food security; Mission Hope, which focuses on youth and education; and Mission Thrive, which addresses human health and environmental challenges. Each mission is made possible through the dedication of its boots-on-the-ground partners from organizations such as AsOne Ministries and Fight for the Forgotten.

The centerpiece of the event was a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Miranda Broin, vice president of Seeds of Change. Panelists included Iwumbwe, the co-founder and executive director of AsOne Ministries; Andrew DeVaney, the co-founder and CEO of AsOne Ministries; and Justin Wren, the founder of Fight for the Forgotten and a former UFC fighter. Each shared powerful stories of resilience, transformation and hope from their work to address challenges in rural African communities.

Mission Grow: Transforming agriculture for long-term change

Agriculture is central to Uganda’s economy, with almost 80 percent of the workforce engaged in farming. Many farmers, however, lack the tools and knowledge to achieve yields greater than subsistence farming. DeVaney explained how Seeds of Change, through its Mission Grow program, is working to transform this dynamic.

Through a farmer-to-farmer training program, Seeds of Change equips local farmers to serve as trainers — referred to as village-based advisers, or VBAs — who mentor their peers in sustainable farming techniques. In 2024, 150 VBAs in Uganda worked with 25,000 farmers, teaching practices like using improved seed varieties, proper tillage and mulching to retain soil moisture, among many other practices.

Since its inception in 2014, Seeds of Change has worked with almost 1.5 million farmers across Africa to improve their operations, increasing food security and improving livelihoods in unprecedented ways.

“The families that we work with are seeing two, two-and-a-half and sometimes even up to five times crop increases on their small farms,” DeVaney said. “This isn’t just about agriculture; it’s about dignity and opportunity. These farmers are becoming leaders in their communities.”

Mission Hope: Empowering the next generation through education

Iwumbwe, who grew up in Uganda and now leads the team there, spoke passionately about how education creates lasting change. “Our major goal as we work with these people in their rural communities of Uganda is to bring local sustainability,” he said.

“In Africa — especially Uganda, where I’m from — agriculture is the backbone. Agriculture does not only help bring food to the table, but when given better ways to practice agriculture, it can bring an extra income that can help a parent send their child to school. This provides employment and education to the people of this local community, hence creating a holistic approach that aims at creating a sustainable community. That is all possible because of Seeds of Change.”

With Seeds of Change’s support, DeVaney and Iwumbwe have led the construction of five schools, which now serve almost 2,600 Ugandan students. Two more are being built as part of the team’s holistic community development model, with a vision of 10 locations by 2027.

Since 2014, Seeds of Change has supported more than 6,000 students across Kenya and Uganda. The organization also provides daily meals to more than 75,000 students in some of Kenya’s most impoverished communities — many of whom would not eat without the program.

“When I look at these students, I see a real seed of change being planted in that community,” Iwumbwe shared, emphasizing the grassroots, maintainable approach that ties education, agriculture and health care together to uplift entire communities.

Mission Thrive: Life-changing access to resources 

Wren recounted his transformative journey from fighting in the ring to fighting for the most vulnerable — starting by digging wells. His work was founded on bringing water to remote African communities, often in areas so isolated that roads don’t exist.

“Our team has drilled 85 wells, providing clean water to over 56,000 people in some of the hardest-to-reach, most remote, rural places,” Wren said. “Water changes everything — absolutely everything. And it’s something that we just take for granted. We don’t truly know its value and importance because we always have it.”

The seeds Wren has planted are beginning to bloom, and his mission has grown along with them. Seeds of Change has partnered with him on a community development model to benefit the Batwa people of Uganda — incorporating education, health care, agriculture and more — with big plans to expand in the future.

“We also always have a mission to do more than just water, to not forget about the other needs that people who are facing extreme poverty also have,” Wren said. “That’s why I’m so grateful for Seeds of Change.”

In addition to its project with Wren in Uganda, Seeds of Change has active Mission Thrive initiatives — including the construction and support of clinics, village health training, clean water and more — in Madagascar, Nigeria, South Sudan and El Salvador. To date, the program has impacted almost 500,000 individuals.

The heart of the mission

Throughout the evening, a consistent theme emerged: the importance of sustainable growth and the role of empowering communities to drive their own change. As Iwumbwe put it, “Through Seeds of Change, we’re impacting Ugandans to go and impact others. This is how you create real change.”

Seeds of Change’s efforts have been far-reaching and transformative but will require continued support to sustain and grow. A Night for Change not only highlighted successful projects but also called attendees to join in the mission; the panelists expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from donors, volunteers and event attendees, emphasizing that the work is possible only through their collective efforts.

“As the adage goes, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,’” Broin said. “And we’re seeing that brought to life in the partnerships we’ve made and the work we’re all doing together.”

As Iwumbwe, DeVaney and Wren each shared, Seeds of Change’s impact extends far beyond individual projects. It is building a foundation for a brighter future by bringing hope and opportunity to the communities that need it most.

Wren summarized this mission at the end of the panel discussion.

“I don’t know if you know how special what Seeds of Change is doing is — how life-changing it is. But I get to see it with my own eyes, and I’m compelled to tell you: It’s happening now. It’s real. I promise you, it’s magic happening. It’s the birthplace of miracles.”

For information or to donate to the foundation, visit seedsofchange.org.