Who We Are, Why We Exist

Builducate Inc. is a social enterprise created to close the gaps that many African and Caribbean families face when trying to access developmental services for their loved ones with disabilities. The name “Builducate” combines two important ideas: Build and Educate, because we believe change happens when we both create better systems and share knowledge in ways that make sense for our communities.

 

The idea started with our founder, Johanna Niles, an immigrant, sibling, and caregiver who saw firsthand how hard it was to find supports that truly understood and respected her family’s Afro-Caribbean background. From assessments to services, the system wasn’t built with families like hers in mind. 

 

This isn’t just her story, research has shown that immigrant families, especially from African and Caribbean backgrounds, often face more barriers and fewer supports than others. Many families report feeling unheard, unsupported, and left out of important decisions that affect their children’s lives. 

 

At Builducate, we want to change that. We focus on: 

• Building community-based partnerships that connect the developmental services sector with grassroots organizations already doing the work on the ground

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• Creating new, culturally relevant services when they don’t exist

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• Providing training and workshops to help families, caregivers, and service providers understand, navigate, and improve the system in ways that honor culture, language, and lived experience

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• Helping families feel confident speaking up, making decisions, and getting the support they deserve.

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We are here to support and work alongside communities, not just to change services, but to build the ones that are missing. 

 

There’s still a lot of work ahead, but we’re committed, connected, and ready to build and educate together.