Reagan Suubi is using the skills he’s gained at Iowa State to help give back to Ugandan youth.
Reagan Suubi’s connection to Iowa State began in Uganda’s Kamuli District, where he saw first-hand how access to education and developing entrepreneurship skills can change lives.
While studying agribusiness at Makerere University, he began collaborating on service-learning projects with Iowa State’s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods.
Cyclones an Ocean Away
Through his work with the program, Suubi built relationships with faculty like David Acker, the Raymond and Mary Baker Chair in Global Agriculture, which inspired him to pursue a master’s degree in agricultural education at Iowa State.
“I would not be here now if not for him working with me and encouraging me,” Suubi says.
While teaching agricultural entrepreneurship skills to Ugandan youth, Suubi saw how he could make a positive impact in a country with one of the youngest populations in the world.
He used his experience to co-found Nostalgic Coffee in 2019, and incorporated pillars of youth development and philanthropy into the brand’s business plan. Growing his skills in Iowa State’s graduate program will strengthen Suubi’s mentorship capacity even more.
“Education is the way out of poverty,” he says. “I have seen how education changed my life.”
Hope for Home
Suubi calls the opportunities to acquire vocational skills through the center a “second chance” for Ugandans who left school. He hopes the model developed by the program is expanded and replicated.
By creating more equitable access to training in agricultural practices and entrepreneurship skills, he can help the next generation succeed.
