18 | Acquisition International, Non-Profit Organisation Awards 2025 May25053 International Underserved Community Support NPO of the Year 2025 – USA lthough it is based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, The SOL Foundation works globally, especially in poorer countries such as Uganda, Bangladesh, and Haiti. Throughout these nations, the team collaborate with underserved communities, including marginalised women, orphans, disabled people, and survivors of human trafficking. These groups are often disregarded by society, and they continue to live in poverty all over the world as a result of everything from financial limitations and illiteracy to politics. Guided by its vision of a brighter, healthier, and more sustainable future for all, The SOL Foundation works on a number of projects, with these ranging from education and reforestation to plantation, fresh-water access, and wildlife conservation. As touched on above, these include school garden initiatives – where the team build, and establish, and maintain green spaces within schools – as well as delivering educational materials that promote healthy eating, nutrition, and improved overall wellbeing. In the case of the school gardens provided by The SOL Foundation, these aid the communities in which they are built in several ways. For example, around 98% of these gardens are comprised of edible fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. Of all the edible food grown in these environments, 25% goes to the school, 25% to the local community, 25% is donated to people in need, and 25% is sold to offer financial aid. However, the purpose of these gardens goes far beyond just providing produce, as each of them sees every adult and child involved in the initiative given a comprehensive nature education highlighting the importance of preserving trees and wildlife and protecting the planet. These spaces also teach responsibility, as every student is accountable for their own tree within the environment, as well as keeping the area clean. This initiative is just one of several pioneered by this NPO, with the combined impact these have had being reflected through the impressive figures achieved by The SOL Foundation across its journey so far. This includes planting almost 600k trees and empowering more than 125k individuals worldwide. None of this would be possible without the team at the heart of The SOL Foundation, a group united in their ambition to change the world through the power of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. “As The SOL Foundation’s executive director, I am proud to lead an organisation that strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals, communities, and the planet as a whole. ” Despite being steadfast in both its resilience and its commitment, The SOL Foundation still faces challenges, particularly around attracting donors that share its values, raising awareness of the work it is doing, and securing the resources it needs to see its programmes reach as many people as possible. To overcome these challenges, the NPO reaffirms that, although it cannot help everyone, those it can help should be treated with the utmost care, with respect given to everything from their cultures to their countries’ laws. On the back of this, The SOL Foundation has enjoyed a strong start to 2025 and is set to continue on with its empowerment and education initiatives for the rest of the year and beyond. As for what some of these projects will look like, the team recently completed the first water borough in Tana River, Kenya, supporting the community by providing access to clean water. They are now planning to build a second borough in the same town. Finally, The SOL Foundation is excited to announce its plans to continue the development of projects in nine countries spread across Africa, Asia, and South America. These include the Congo Republic, Sri Lanka, and Haiti. Again, the primary aim in these locations is to develop several of its signature school gardens, providing a haven for local wildlife whilst also delivering nutritious food and teaching invaluable skills. In short, by supporting communities through projects such as school gardens, The SOL Foundation aims to leave a lasting impact on food security, environmental sustainability, and community development in those countries in desperate need. For this, the NPO is more than fitting of this award and a place in the programme. Contact: Rizwana Company: The SOL Foundation Web Address: https://www.the-sol-foundation.org/ Founded atop the belief that everyone has the power within themselves to change the world for the better, The SOL Foundation is committed to restoring nature, planting trees, honouring life, providing hope, and leaving behind a legacy of education and engagement as it works. Through initiatives such as building and maintaining school gardens, running gardening workshops, and providing educational resources, this registered non-profit is benefiting communities on an international scale. We caught up with Rizwana , the NPO’s executive director, for more. A
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