2009 graduate and former Blue Knights soccer player founded nonprofit to help women and girls in Uganda
Geofrey Kalanzi, 36, graduated in May 2009 from Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) with an A.A.S. in Digital Marketing Specialist. While attending DCTC, Geofrey played on the Blue Knights men’s soccer team for two season, first as a goalkeeper (2007–2008) and then as a forward (2008–2009). He earned a 3.91 GPA fall semester 2008 and made the NJCAA Academic All-Region 13 Men’s First Team in 2007 and 2008.
Geofrey received the prestigious 2008–2009 NJCAA Lea Plarski Award, which honors the student-athlete epitomizing sportsmanship, leadership, community service and academic excellence in conjunction with superior athletic ability and accomplishments. Lea Plarski was a former director of athletics at St. Louis Community College in Florissant Valley. She helped establish the Women’s Division of the NJCAA in 1975, making history in 1990 as the first woman elected NJCAA president, a position she held for six years.
“During my time with the Blue Knights, I most valued the connections I made with teammates and coaches,” Geofrey said. “I also enjoyed visiting many different cities and states that I would not have had an opportunity to visit had it not been for this team.”
Geofrey added that playing NJCAA sports enabled him to receive a scholarship which allowed me to pursue his studies. “Without these scholarship opportunities, I would not have been able to afford college at all,” he said.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, Geofrey was 13 years old when he and his sister and two brothers lost both their parents to the AIDS epidemic. Along with his brother, Moses Kabogoza, he was eventually taken in by the Home Again Orphanage near Kampala under the care of David Kyambadde, a native Ugandan, and his wife Aimee, a U.S. citizen from Minnesota.
Through the efforts of the couple, the brothers moved to Minnesota, where they resided with Aimee Kyambadde’s parents, the senior pastors at the Resurrection Life Church in Eden Prairie. After meeting with then DCTC head soccer coach, Cam Stoltz, they soon enrolled at the college and joined the men’s soccer team.
After graduating from DCTC, Geofrey transferred on a full-ride scholarship to the College of St. Scholastica, where he played defender on the Saints men’s soccer team and completed a B.A. in International Business & Marketing in 2011.
Today, Geofrey works as a sales account manager at the Red Bull Distribution Company in Bloomington, Minnesota. He started at Red Bull in 2017. In 2023, he won the company’s Heartland Q4 Wings Award.
Geofrey has been married to his wife, Becky, for 12 years. Geofrey and Becky have a daughter, Zipporah, 7, and a son, Theo, who will be three years old on February 9. In his free time, Geofrey enjoys watching Arsenal FC games on TV. He also likes to travel and play golf.
Geofrey, Becky, Zipporah, and Theo reside in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Learn more about Geofrey by reading his previous DCTC News stories:
Ugandan Student Overcomes Orphanhood
Originally published January 7, 2009.
Geofrey Kalanzi Wins NJCAA Lea Plarski Award
Originally published June 25, 2009.
DCTC campus community perspectives
“Geofrey and I were students at same time and student ambassadors together. He regularly talked about his dream to open an orphanage in Uganda for girls, as he witnessed his own sister not having the same support and opportunities he and his brothers had. I learned so much from Geoffrey and cherish the memories of our time working together.
“Seeing Geofrey make his dream come true to open a nonprofit supporting girls in Uganda is a reminder that in spite of whatever we face in life, we can overcome and use our experiences to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Geofrey is leader and role model and I am honored to know him. I look forward to seeing the impact Re-Joyce Ministries has in Uganda!”
Anna Voight, MA
Campus Merger Coordinator
Neurodiverse ERG Chair
Dakota County Technical College
“Geofrey Kalanzi’s journey to success came from his dedication to hard work and perseverance. His success—from excelling in the DCTC Digital Marketing program to earning a full-ride scholarship at the College of St. Scholastica, and now thriving at Red Bull—demonstrates his passion for education and his abilities in the marketing and sales field. I am proud of Geofrey’s accomplishments and look forward to seeing his continued success.”
Carie Statz, MA, DBA
Marketing and Sales Faculty
Dakota County Technical College
“Geofrey’s hard work and dedication is evident in all that he has accomplished at DCTC and beyond. I am extremely proud of his continued efforts to positively impact the lives of others, and that we were a small part of his journey.”
Nicole Meulemans, MS
Director of Student Support Services & Student Development
Dakota County Technical College
Re-Joyce Ministries
Geofrey and his wife, Becky, an elementary school teacher, are the founders and directors of Re-Joyce Ministries, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in Minnesota and working toward becoming a registered Community Based Organization (CBO) in Uganda. The Re-Joyce Ministries mission is to empower and support young mothers and women in Uganda who are facing challenges such as poverty, domestic violence, and lack of education and resources.
“Our goal is to provide them with a safe and nurturing environment, as well as the education and resources necessary to become self-sufficient,” Geofrey reported. “We aim to break the cycle of poverty and inequality. Support from our donors helps us provide housing, food, healthcare, education, and life skills training to these young mothers and women, giving them the tools they need to build a better future filled with JOY for themselves and their children.”
When asked what inspired him to found the nonprofit, Geofrey said. “My main inspiration was a drive to honor my mom by helping young girls who did not have the same opportunities as me as many orphanages in Uganda were for boys. I saw how my sister never had the same opportunities as I did and have noticed how young women can be vulnerable without these opportunities. Hence the vision of creating a safe place for young women in Uganda.”
Geofrey explained that one of the most challenging aspects of running a nonprofit organization is finding people his team can trust who are on the ground in Uganda since Re-Joyce Ministries is currently based in Minnesota.
“Another challenge is acquiring the resources needed to run the organization since most resources come from us and other generous donor,” he said. “The most rewarding thing about directing Re-Joyce Ministries is seeing the impact and the opportunities for future impact for these young girls.”
Re-Joyce Ministries gallery





The Re-Joyce Shelter Project
Re-Joyce’s Shelter Project is dedicated to providing secure and supportive housing for women in Uganda facing unsafe living conditions, including those affected by domestic violence or homelessness. By alleviating rent burdens, the project ensures that young women and mothers have access to stable and safe shelter, freeing them from the stress of financial insecurity.
This initiative creates a nurturing environment where women can rebuild their lives, access necessary resources, and ultimately regain their independence and dignity. Through comprehensive support services, the Shelter Project aims to foster resilience for women in vulnerable situations.Âą
Uganda Project: Re-Joyce Women’s Shelter GoFundMe
Proposed design and current progress
Re-Joyce Empowerment Project
This project has three main objectives aligned with our three core values:Â Community, Opportunity, & Empowerment
Re-Joyce’s Empowerment Project aims to uplift women and their families by providing comprehensive support and opportunities for growth. By alleviating rent burdens, the project ensures stable housing for women, allowing them to focus on personal and professional development. Education for children is prioritized, ensuring the next generation has the knowledge and skills to succeed.
Technical training is offered to women, equipping them with valuable skills for better employment opportunities. Additional support services, including healthcare and counseling, further empower women to lead independent and fulfilling lives, fostering a cycle of growth and prosperity within their communities.Âą
Learn more by visiting: Re-Joyce Ministries.
Geofrey Kalanzi • Q & A
How did your education at DCTC help prepare you for transferring to the College of St. Scholastica?
It enabled me to adapt to life in America since my time at DCTC was my first time here. It equipped me with the skills to do well academically and athletically. Without those two things, I would not have been able to receive a good scholarship that ultimately allowed me to continue and finish my education. I have always been grateful for my time at DCTC.
What advice would you give students about attending a two-year college with transferring to a four-year school as an important goal?
It is a great opportunity, especially financially since it is cheaper than doing all four years at another school. It also gives you an opportunity to discover what you are truly passionate about, especially for those who are undecided in what they want to study. I was in that same boat when I was at DCTC, undecided on what I actually wanted my major to be.
Three words that describe you as a college graduate:
PERSEVERANCE. AMBITIOUS. ADAPTABLE.
What do you love most about your home country of Uganda?
I love the resilience of the Ugandan people. They find joy in every situation, even in any obstacle that life throws at them. I also love the food and the weather.
What do you love most about living and working in Minnesota?
I love experiencing the four seasons Minnesota has. Even though I don’t love winter, I love the warm welcome of the people.
Three words that describe you as a nonprofit founder and director:
DEDICATED. IMPACTFUL. PASSIONATE.
What person has influenced your life the most and why?
It’s difficult to choose just one person as many people have been extremely influential in my life, from helping me as an orphan in Uganda making it to Minnesota, or others giving me advice along the way. However, my wife is probably the person who has influenced my life the most. She pushes me to look outside of my comfort zone into how we can work together to make a difference.
If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
If I could make one thing happen on Earth, it would be to bring back the people I have lost that are close to me, including my parents.
One word that best describes your experience as a student-athlete at DCTC:
ACCOUNTABILITY
Geofrey Kalanzi • 12 Answers
- Favorite sport or physical activity: Soccer
Place you would most like to visit: Uganda
- Most exciting thing you’ve ever done: Shooting a gun
- Three things you would do if you won a $1 billion lottery: 1) Retire 2) Help others more 3) Travel
- Best book or movie you’ve read or seen lately: Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
- Time period you would explore if you could time travel: When I was in high school
- One thing you most want to accomplish in life: Right now, the one thing that I want to accomplish is to complete the women’s shelter in Uganda
Your national bird if you were your own country: Grey-crowned crane
- Dream occupation: I’m in my dream occupation, but if I could do anything, I would maybe be a professional soccer playerÂ
- Person you would most like to meet: Arsene Wenger, former coach of my favorite club, Arsenal
- Â Skill you would most like to learn and master: Golf
- Â Most important issue or problem facing humankind: Lack of kindness/love
Âą SOURCE: Re-Joyce Ministries
Learn more about Blue Knights NJCAA soccer at DCTC by contacting:
Hawken Hanna
Head Soccer Coach
Dakota County Technical College
651-423-8676
hawken.hanna@dctc.edu
Learn more about Marketing & Sales programs at DCTC by contacting:
Admissions
admissions@dctc.edu
651-423-8266
Room 2-110