OUR WORK
WatuDev Initiatives is making mastery of foundational skills for all children the norm in rural Uganda.
We train teachers and community education champions. We run personalized remedial learning sessions. We bring digital and print learning resources directly to remote schools.
Our mission is evidence-based and driven by the urgent need to ensure that no child is left behind in their education journey.
GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE, DRIVEN BY URGENCY.
OUR APPROACH
A DYNAMIC ENGINE FOR FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING POWERED BY TEACHERS, TAILORED SUPPORT, AND ACCESS TO THE RIGHT RESOURCES.
We deploy three interconnected tactics: Train, Target, and Equip. Together, they drive real learning gains where education systems often fall short.
TRAIN
We build the capacity of in-service teachers and community educators in rural schools by...
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Delivering hands-on training rooted in the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology*
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Equipping teachers with diagnostic tools & knowlwedge to group children by ability and teach at their level.
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Providing ongoing teacher coaching to strengthen teacher capacity to support every child.
What Success Looks Like
Empowered Teachers, Transformed Classrooms
Teachers gain the skills and confidence to deliver engaging, level-appropriate instruction—so every child has the chance to learn and succeed.
TARGET
We focus support where children are most at risk—by identifying high-need schools and learners with the greatest learning gaps by ...
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Selecting high-need schools
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Identifying and assessing struggling children who are at most risk of falling behind their peers
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Delivering personalized, small-group sessions rooted in the Teaching at the Right (TaRL) methodology*
What Success Looks Like
Struggling Learners Catch Up—and Thrive.
Children who are furthest behind receive tailored support, helping them build foundational skills and the confidence to stay and thrive on their learning journey.
*Note: WatuDev’s approach is rooted in the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology, developed by Pratham and J-PAL. We apply its core principles—assessing children’s actual learning levels, grouping them accordingly, and delivering targeted, level-appropriate instruction—to help struggling learners catch up. While our delivery model is adapted for rural Ugandan contexts (including integration with digital labs and local facilitators), the foundational structure and philosophy remain closely aligned with TaRL.
EQUIP
We bridge the resource gap so every child can access quality learning tools by...
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Deploying Mobile Digital Labs and printed materials with level-appropriate literacy and numeracy resources.
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Delivering weekly on-site sessions where children interact with preloaded tablets and books
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Training teachers to actively support children during Mobile Lab sessions
What Success Looks Like
Access Unlocked, Learning Ignited.
Children in rural schools gain access to quality learning tools that make foundational skills engaging, equitable, and achievable.
Our work is anchored in one powerful idea: that lasting transformation begins when learning meets children at their level—making success possible for every child.
Transformation for us means investing in the heart of learning: the teacher.
It means meeting children where they are and guiding them forward with care, clarity, and encouragement.
It means making sure that the right tools and support are present in the classroom, no matter how rural the setting.
WHY WE DO IT THIS WAY
TRAIN
BUILDING TEACHER
CAPACITY
We equip in-service teachers and community education champions with the evidence-based tools, skills, and mindsets they need to effectively deliver foundational literacy and numeracy.
Teacher capacity is the cornerstone of real foundational skills learning. No matter how many children we reach or how many tablets we deploy, if teachers aren’t trained to meet children where they are, learning won’t happen. That’s why training is our first and most critical tactic—grounded in evidence-based practices like Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) and elements of Jolly Phonics.
Many teachers in rural schools -often teach large, multi-level classes where most children are far behind the curriculum. There’s often a gap between education goals and classroom realities—and that’s the space where we focus our efforts.
WatuDev closes this gap by providing practical, field-tested training rooted in the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach.. We focus on helping teachers diagnose learner levels, adapt instruction, and deliver targeted, level-appropriate lessons in real time.
By investing in teachers, we create classroom conditions where foundational learning can take root—sustainably, scalably, and systemically.
TARGET
TARGETED LEARNING
SUPPORT
We identify struggling learners and support them with personalized, level-appropriate instruction that helps them catch up and thrive Reaching Learners Who’ve Been Left Behind.;
Foundational learning gaps don’t close on their own. Without targeted support, children who fall behind in early grades often remain behind for life. That’s why we focus on timely intervention—meeting learners where they are, not where the curriculum says they should be.
Academic assessments often show widespread low proficiency, but they rarely explain how to reach those left behind. In many classrooms, learners span a wide range of skill levels, and teachers don’t always have the tools to address that diversity. That’s where our targeted approach comes in.
Using simple learner assessments, we group children by skill level—not by age or grade—and offer remedial sessions focused on literacy and numeracy. These sessions are short, focused, and informed by the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology.No learner is left behind because of their starting point.
By targeting support, we give every child a fair chance to build foundational skills—and to experience the confidence that comes with learning success.
EQUIP
EXPANDING ACCESS
TO QUALITY RESOURCES
WatuDev deploys Mobile Digital Learning Labs loaded with high-quality printed materials to rural schools—bringing foundational learning directly to underserved communities and ensuring equitable access to the tools children need to develop literacy and numeracy skills.
Even the best teachers need tools. Yet in many rural Ugandan schools, learners have little or no access to age-appropriate books, or interactive learning materials. Infrastructure may be limited, but potential is not. This is why we focus our resource delivery where it’s needed most.
Through our Mobile Digital Learning Labs—tricycle-powered units equipped with preloaded tablets and foundational print materials—we bring quality content directly to underserved schools. Each school receives weekly lab sessions, where learners engage with digital and printed resources that reinforce literacy and numeracy in fun, accessible ways.
We don’t just drop off devices—we partner with teachers and community champions to ensure that every resource is used effectively to boost learning.
By equipping schools with the right resources, we give every child a fair chance to access, engage with, and benefit from foundational learning resources —no matter the setting
Partner School Spotlight:
Louise Junior School, Bukomansimbi
Co-founded by two retired teachers, Louise Junior School is a low cost, under resourced school, that has educated over 250 learners annually over the last decade.