About Us
40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040) is a volunteer based non-profit organisation founded in 2012, to provide literacy and learning resources to vulnerable children and underserved communities as a means of increasing enrolment, retention and improving access to quality learning for all children.
Our model greatly hinges on the use of social media as a platform for raising awareness on pertinent issues in our community and subsequently finding solutions. We also use fun social events to inspire a socially conscious movement of youths who contribute to our cause. The idea is for youths to take responsibility for social-economic change within their communities. We seek to be the change we want to see in our society.
We value community. From our beneficiaries to our partners and team, we build relationships, support each other and grow together.
We are compassionate. We approach our work with deep empathy and care, recognizing the unique needs and challenges faced by each child and community we serve.
We are dreamers. We have big dreams and we pursue them tirelessly.
We believe in transparency – We hold ourselves accountable and remain transparent in our actions and communication.
Our Mission
Inspiring Ugandans to engage in inclusive, philanthropic activities towards improving quality of learning for underprivileged children and communities.
Our Vision
To be the epicentre of youth mobilisation for community service towards holistic education of children in underserved communities.
Esther Kalenzi, started 40 days over 40 smiles during Lent, the Christian fasting season. The idea was that most people she knew could afford to spare some money to give a group of underprivileged children a happy Easter. The name therefore symbolises 40 days of ‘fasting’ some of the luxuries of life to make over 40 children smile.
She opened a Facebook page on February 27th, 2012 which gained fast popularity leading up to the Easter weekend. It began as something small with a few friends and family who came together to give back to the community. She was able to raise almost $1,000 in 40 days, alongside truckloads of toys, clothes, books, beddings and more. This initiative has since grown in leaps and bounds and is now registered as a non-profit, 40 Days over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040).
Esther’s love for children and desire to be part of the solution pushed her to start this work. One of her favourite quotes has always been ‘Be the change you want to see.” By starting 4040, it meant she would no longer sit in silence when she could do something about the situation.
She was privileged to find people who believed in the dream, and to date, over 500 volunteers have been part of the team. The team has been responsible for various successful campaigns and events like #BuyABrick, #Hoops4Grace, #CroakAndRhyme, #5AsideUG and #4040Night. The funds have impacted the lives of over 3,000, in and out of school children in underserved communities in Kampala, Wakiso and Luwero.
