TRIPs

Join Simbi Foundation on the ground and engage in meaningful research in collaboration with our partner communities.

 

What does TRIPs stand for?

 

T

TEAM

R

RESEARCH

I

IMPACT

P

PROJECTS

 

Why do we go on TRIPs? And why do we invite you to join us?

 

TRIPs provide unique opportunities to positively impact yourself and the world around you.

We believe that on-the-ground collaboration, innovation, and research with our partner school communities is crucial to the sustainability and uptake of BrightBox solutions. TRIPs give us that opportunity. 

Simbi Foundation’s Think Tank of academic researchers are consistently studying, innovating, and hypothesising about how we could be optimizing, improving, and expanding our work.

TRIPs let us, and you, put theory into practice, and test and validate our solutions in reality. Volunteers are guided through research activities by Think Tank members.

 

What will you be doing on a TRIP?

Gain an insight into our on the ground research projects. 

TRIPs are designed to support our Think Tank research, give researchers on-the-ground research experience, and collaborate with local communities to create, test, and install solutions. On a TRIP, you’ll have the opportunity to get involved in the following projects:

Literacy & Curriculum 

Our Literacy Research focuses on analysing the ways in which we can support literacy progression at our partner schools through digital curriculum and technology innovation. 

 

Solar Power 

The principal focus of our Solar Power research is to optimise and scale the current solar system used in our BrightBox Learning Labs.

 

Technology & Connectivity

The Simbi Foundation technology research aims to provide solutions for the upgrading of our curriculum server and connectivity systems in partner schools.

Gender-Based Analysis

The Simbi Foundation Gender-Based Analysis has the principal goal of better identifying intersectional barriers that prevent women and girls from having access to education

 

Bike Share

Our pilot Bike Share program seeks to provide remote students with improved and faster access to their schools, to which they may have previously been walking several kilometres

 

User Experience / User Interface

The Simbi Foundation UX/UI research seeks to improve the learning experience of students and teachers at our partner schools who are using the Simbi Learn Cloud.

 

Robust Research. 

Simbi Foundation TRIPs are unique opportunities to positively impact yourself and the world around you. Learn more about how our approach brings together researchers and partner communities to make a lasting impact.

 

Explore Past TRIPs.

 

Uganda: July 2019

Journey with Simbi Foundation in Uganda where we will work in support of our collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at Twajiji Primary School in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement.

India: February 2019

Journey with The Walking School Bus in India where we will collaborate with 3 of our partner schools to enhance access to education.

India: July 2018

Journey with The Walking School Bus in India where we will collaborate with 3 of our remote partner schools to enhance access to education.

India: March 2018

Journey with The Walking School Bus in India where we will collaborate with 3 of our remote partner schools to enhance access to education.

Uganda: July 2017

Journey with The Walking School Bus where we will collaborate with our partner communities in remote Uganda to enhance access to education.

Uganda: March 2017

Journey with The Walking School Bus where we will collaborate with our partner communities in remote Uganda to enhance access to education.

Uganda: July 2016

Journey with The Walking School Bus where we will collaborate with our partner communities in remote Uganda to enhance access to education.

Testimonials.

Explore testimonials from past Simbi Foundation TRIP attendees!

“As an economics student with a particular interest in development, I had dreamed of working in the field but had not found an opportunity to be meaningfully involved in Economic Development Research. Working with Simbi Foundation in Mbale, Uganda gave me the opportunity to experience first hand the difficult yet rewarding intersection of theory and implementation. Simbi Foundation’s relationships with local partners, as well as their well thought through research interventions are incredible to experience and contribute to first hand. Working with them began to clarify my thinking on how I view development research, and helped motivate my decision to pursue further a masters in economics.”

- Sarah O'Brien, MSc Economics, Boconni MSc Economics Student, Uganda 2017

“The TRIP was one of the most profound experiences of my life. I learned so many new things, from building a water catchment system, coordinating rainwater harvesting, to setting up a BrightBox solar-powered classroom and teaching computer literacy to a group of teachers who had never used one before. I learned more about project management through the TRIP than any university course has yet taught me. The best part was that that as soon as someone completed their own allotted work, they would start working on some other project and helping other team members with their work without anyone even asking them to — it was inspiring to say the least!”

- Nishit, Delhi College of Engineering, India 2018

“On a TRIP, you are transported into a part of the world that you may not be familiar with, which can often be daunting, but not with Simbi Foundation. The hand-picked teams are what make Simbi Foundation TRIPs so special, placing you in capable hands and allowing you to create powerful bonds with incredibly inspiring people. On the Uganda TRIP, I learnt a great deal about the value of education and its crucial contribution to development, which in turn inspired me to pursue a career in teaching. I cannot recommend these TRIPs enough, I would go back in a heartbeat.”

- Oliver, McGill Grad, Marketing Professional, Uganda 2019

“I am grateful to have been part of the India TRIP with Simbi Foundation in the spring of 2018. It was so wonderful to be able to use my professional skills, and to know that I have helped to make positive changes to the lives of these kids. I look forward to doing another TRIP in the near future.”

- Shari Linde, Registered Speech-Language Pathologist, India 2018

“I grew up in Rwanda and moved to Vancouver to pursue a masters at UBC in Food and Resource Economics. For my masters thesis, I worked with Simbi Foundation in Uganda and helped the organization in furthering their nutritional research which is still used today! It was incredible work in the field. To learn from our local partners and support them in developing sustainable nutritional practises. It was an experience I’ll treasure forever and often tell stories from my time in the field.”

— Ally Sekora, UBC Masters of Food and Resource Economics, Uganda 2016

Our TRIPs are proudly attended and supported by brands and research organizations around the world.

Learn more about TRIPs.

Got questions about Simbi Foundation TRIPs? Check out the answers here. 

Still got questions? Visit the link below!

What is a Simbi Foundation TRIP?

A Simbi Foundation TRIP is an opportunity to join us in Uganda or India and help us install new education support services, work with our partner communities to collect feedback, and conduct research and data collection activities that will allow us to continue to enhance the effectiveness and relevance of our programs.

How long are TRIPs with Simbi Foundation?

TRIPs with Simbi Foundation last 10 days. Why? Our goal is to maximize our impact in a short period of time with the ultimate goal that communities take ownership and maintain the program for the majority of the year. During these 10 days, we make every second counts to ensure we provide value to communities through consultation with our research experts in the field.