Until 5 years ago, philanthropy wasn’t on my radar.

Not because I didn’t care, but because I’ve always been very skeptical about how charitable organizations operate.

I knew the statistics: many nonprofits spend the majority of their funds on overhead, paying salaries to executives, or chasing political influence rather than directly supporting the causes they claim to support. 

The idea of donating to a “cause” that would ultimately end up lining someone else’s pocket didn’t sit right with me.

But then, I met Jennings.

It was nearly 5 years ago when I interviewed her for my podcast. 

In that episode, I learned that Jennings ran a nonprofit organization (10eighteen) dedicated to helping young girls in Uganda escape a cycle of poverty, exploitation, and, frankly, hopelessness. 

During that conversation, I had to stop multiple times just to gather myself. 

The stories she told were devastating, and they struck me to my core.

At the time, my wife had just given birth to our second child, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how these Ugandan girls, some not much older than my own kids, had their innocence stolen from them.

I wept after that interview. 

I’ve always known the world can be a dark place, but hearing first-hand accounts from someone like Jennings, who has spent time with these girls and witnessed their struggles firsthand, broke something inside me. 

I knew I couldn’t just move past what I had just learned.  

I had to help. 

Jennings IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE nonprofit founder. 

She’s a fellow libertarian, a freedom-minded individual who, like me, believes in taking personal responsibility and creating meaningful change. 

She’s an incredible woman - an author, an entrepreneur, a homeschooling mom, and a relentless advocate for these girls. 

…and let me tell you, what she’s built at 10Eighteen is nothing short of extraordinary.

Unlike so many bloated nonprofits, every single penny donated to 10Eighteen goes directly to the girls in Uganda.

I’ve seen the balance sheet myself.

…Jennings doesn’t even take a salary.  

The only wages paid go to the Ugandan staff who provide security, teach the girls, and ensure the programs run smoothly. Full stop. 

No Westerners are parachuting in for photo ops or "feel-good" Instagram moments.

This is real, grassroots work, and it’s truly making a difference.

After that interview, I spoke to my wife for hours. 

I explained how deeply I felt about this cause and how I wanted to support it… not just financially but by using my reach and influence to help Jennings grow her impact.

I explained to my wife what I had learned about Uganda - it has one of the world’s youngest populations, and the reality on the ground is that it's basically children raising children there.

Uganda is an extremely poor country, and sadly, school is important to these girls not only for their education but also because, for many, it is the only place they can get a fresh meal.

Oftentimes, the parents or parent (one has usually already died from AIDS or HIV) don’t even send the girls to school... they send them to “work” in “the city.”

But with no skills, finding a job is no small feat…

…and sadly, some sick men prey on this reality.

So, here is what often happens:

An older man shows up and offers a roof and maybe a little food… a “lifeline,” essentially.  

But there’s an expectation…

She’s supposed to be “available” to him.

Eventually, after a month or two of this, she gets pregnant.

…and guess what…

She’s thrown out onto the street, just like a bag of trash. 

No roof.

No food.

No help.

Literally just tossed to the street like a bag of trash.

So now, here is a child, barely a teenager, pregnant, on the streets with zero skills.

Could you imagine the hopelessness?

Now… why not just go back to their village, you may ask?

Well, only if it were that simple…

They have now “disgraced” themselves, and the parent or parents won’t take them in… 

…even their own community, which knows this happened by no fault of their own, still turns its back on the poor girl.

This informal version of prostitution happens all the time.

All. The. Time.

So, after sharing all this with my wife, she agreed - WE HAD TO HELP.

Since then, I’ve been involved in every way I can.

Today, I’m proud to sit on the board of directors for 10Eighteen.

I’ve helped raise awareness through my personal and professional network. 

As someone who struggled with dyslexia growing up, for years, I couldn’t read or write properly, and literacy holds a special place in my heart. 

I know first-hand how transformative the ability to read and write can be. 

That’s why I worked alongside Jennings to develop a literacy program for these girls.

Every year, we help 60 young women gain this essential skill. 

But it doesn’t stop there; those 60 girls go on to teach their friends, neighbours, and future generations. 

I call this the ripple effect. 

We also run a tailoring and hairdressing program that equips girls with the skills to sew, make clothing, and earn money by cutting hair in the community. 

Recently, we even upgraded their equipment and introduced an advanced curriculum to help them further their craft. 

These aren’t just life skills: they’re opportunities for financial independence. When a girl can support herself, she can break free from the cycle of poverty and create a better future for her family.

These women are now quite literally entrepreneurs.

They are building businesses, and soon, they will be self-sufficient.

Soon, they will be fully supporting themselves via the skills they learned with our help.

Together, we are giving the gift of a future...not just another day, week, or month of survival. 

Plus, food inflation in Uganda is no joke.

With the cost of feeding the community skyrocketing, we decided to take matters into our own hands. 

We purchased a piece of farmland outside the city, installed a well, and set up solar electricity so we can grow our own food - and we provide over 3,000 meals every month.

We’ve also built a computer lab so the girls can research and learn about the world beyond the slum.

Access to technology opens up opportunities they never imagined possible, giving them the tools to dream bigger and achieve more.

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching aspect of our work is supporting teenage mothers - some as young as 13 or 14, many of whom became mothers through horrific circumstances. 

To ensure they have access to proper care, we hired a nurse and set up a clinic dedicated entirely to their needs. 

These girls are some of the most vulnerable individuals on the planet, and providing them with medical support is absolutely critical.

When we help one girl, we’re not just changing her life…

…we’re changing the trajectory of her entire community. 

While a dollar goes a long way in Uganda relative to much of the Western world, the reality is that these programs cost money to maintain.

Between the farm, the clinic, the literacy program, and everything else we do, we need to raise $12,000 to continue running these programs in 2026.

That’s why I’m reaching out to you today.

I am reaching out on behalf of the teenage mother who showed up one day seeking help.

Barely a teenager, this poor soul walked into our compound holding her newborn baby. 

The umbilical cord was still attached.

Let that sink in for a second.

Barely a teenager, she had given birth completely alone. 

In a ditch…

On the side of the road…

No doctors.

No midwives.

…not even a hand to hold as she brought life into this world.  

I don’t know how, but both she and her baby fought hard and survived.

This girl’s story could have ended right there. 

…another young life over before it had a chance to begin.

But she fought hard and made it to us, exhausted and broken, with her baby still clinging to her.

We took her in.

We got her medical care.

…and now?

She’s safe.

She’s healing.

She’s learning.

…and with time, she’ll have new skills and a new future… not just for herself but for her child, too.

Will the trauma ever go away? 

I can’t imagine so.

But what I do know, with every bit of certainty in me, is that the future she’s walking toward is far brighter than the one she left behind.

There are more girls like her out there.

Right now. Alone. Pregnant. Hungry. Desperate. 

The cycle repeats itself over and over again…until someone steps in.

That’s what we do.

We step in.

This isn’t about guilt or obligation - it’s about an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of young girls who have the odds stacked against them and were dealt a shitty hand.

The opportunity to support an organization that operates with integrity, transparency, and heart.

Every dollar you donate goes directly to the programs that are changing lives in Uganda. 

There’s no bureaucracy, no waste… just pure impact.

If you’ve ever felt compelled to give, this is your chance.

To donate or learn more about our work, visit: expatmoneyshow.com/1018

Together, we can ensure these girls have the support, skills, and opportunities they need to build brighter futures.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Your support means the world to me, to Jennings, and to every girl whose life we’re changing.

Speak soon,

Mikkel

PS. I highly encourage you to go back and listen to my original interview with Jennings about the work she does at 10eighteen. You will hear me get choked up multiple times during the discussion, and this is the conversation that led directly to me working with this charity and joining the Board of Directors. Please consider donating to 10eighteen at this blue-highlighted link right here. Even a few dollars go a long, long way.

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