Refugee College Scholarship Fund
Some ideas are too good to pass up. As regular readers of my blog already know, Erica DePiero, a.k.a. "egipsey" is a frequent commenter and all around fascinating individual. What you may not know is that she has worked with refugees all over the world through her position at the International Rescue Committee. When the State Department is telling to people to avoid a particular area because of violence and danger, Erica's moving in.In her travels, she has come across some truly amazing individuals and recently she discovered that a contribution that seemed small on her part, could be a life-changing event for someone else.Let her tell you the story:
When I was in Africa in 2006-07, I worked alongside a group of extraordinary refugee colleagues. Despite being trapped in a desert camp, they were my most motivated colleagues who took their role as civic educators very seriously. Since leaving there and them, I have kept in touch and shared in their success when they leave the camp, get a job or find lost family members.Despite incredible odds, five of them have completed their high school education in the camps and all of them have a deep desire to better their lives - to go to college. So, I started sponsoring one student 2 years ago. Ruot applied for and was accepted to a respectable college in Nairobi, Kenya. He is keeping with his enthusiasm for community building and studying to be a community organizer. A few months ago, he passed his associates degree exam (almost all A's & B's!) and is now halfway through the 4 year program. The proud feelings I have for him I can barely describe. And for a ridiculously small amount I realized you can change a life. How small of an amount, you ask? 3 semesters a year - $460 a semester. Lemme do the math for you -yes, $1380 for a year of college tuition, fees, room & board.
Having seen the impact her contribution has made on Ruot, Erica now wants to broaden her efforts. I realize that there are hundreds of international aid organizations making similar pleas. Undoutedly, many of them are worthy. But I happen to know Erica personally. She allowed me to read an email Ruot sent her in which his exuberance and gratitude for the opportunity she afforded him brought tears to my eyes. In short, Erica DePiero is the kind of person who knows what works and who you can implicitly trust. That's why I've made a contribution to her Refugee College Scholarship Fund. Even a tiny amount will help.If you'd like to make a contribution, just follow this link to the Chipin account she's set up. You can read letters from colleagues of the aspiring college students she hopes to help. Next in line for a scholarship is William, who fled a refugee camp in Kenya last year and now lives with his cousins in the shadow of the finest college In East Africa--Makere University. After that, Erica hopes to help Beatrice, Simon, and Santino.I hope you'll join her efforts.