From Drake to Asikuma

When Anna and I take a break from our crazy life and stop to think about where we are at and what we are doing, we can’t help but think how lucky we are. Lucky to be a part of these incredible lives. Lucky to have such a great team that we are working with both in Ghana and in Iowa. Lucky to have each other to embark on this crazy journey with. Lucky to have the support from our family and friends back home, especially our Bulldog family.

As Anna and I were preparing for this journey we spent a lot of time talking to professors and staff at Drake. We were seeking their support, resources, and expertise. We were both amazed at how the connections we made over the last four years came together to support the KCC School and us. Our incredible friends that we had made over the four years also have banded together to support us in anyway possible.

However, what really left me speechless was when the Bulldog community extended beyond our specific networks. Maddy Gildersleeve, a sophomore at Drake, who neither Anna nor I had ever met before, contacted us this summer after one of our mutual friends explained to her a little bit about what Anna and I were up to this year and advised her to reach out to us. Maddy expressed her passion for the education of girls in developing countries and her desire to increase awareness and attention to the cause on Drake’s campus. She expressed its importance to her by saying “I think it hits home for me so much because I realize if I was born to a different set of parents in one of these nations I could be in the same shoes as the girls struggling there. These girls have husbands twice their age, multiple children and little to no education. And so many of them are so strong and still fight to earn an education and make a better life for themselves and I am so impressed by their strength.” And so she asked us if there was a way for her to get involved in Kingdom Care’s efforts from Drake’s campus.

Front of T-Shirt

Back of T-Shirt

The three of us exchanged many emails and brainstormed several ideas of how to make something like this come to life. Maddy suggested getting Drake’s Greek Life involved and although both of us were never in a sorority, the support we have received from the community has been overwhelming and we have been running with the idea ever since. For the past four days on Drake’s campus there has been a Panhellenic Philanthropy going on. Shirts are being sold with the majority of the proceeds supporting the KCC School. 30% of the proceeds are also going to the philanthropy of the chapter that sells the largest percentage of shirts. In addition, Maddy has created a GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/panhelphilanthropy) to raise additional funds. Anyone can buy a shirt or make a donation. If you are interested in a shirt please email us at kccschool15@gmail.com.

While funds are important, we really worked hard to create an event that would hopefully mean something more to both our students in Ghana and the students on Drake’s campus. Therefore, in mid-November the girls from all of the sororities will gather to write Pen Pal letters to the students at our primary school. The goal of their letters will be to introduce themselves and convey to our primary students the importance of education and working hard. Once we receive these letters, Anna and I will teach writing lessons in the various classrooms and our students will compose a response. Our goal is to make this a sustainable event that continues even after we have returned to the states.

Anna and I cannot express our gratitude and thanks to Maddy and the Drake Greek Life Ccmmunity enough. The funds that have already been raised and continue to be raised through their endeavors will go a long way in supporting education here. They will go toward providing the school with textbooks, school supplies, and other learning materials. Additionally, the positive message and role models our students receive will leave a lasting impact.

As always, if you are looking for more ways to get involved, have an idea of your own, or have any questions please contact us at kccschool15@gmail.com. Anna and I could not do this alone and we are grateful to each and every one of you for following and sharing our journey and all the little things you have done for us along the way!