P-2020

Ghana Scholar

Description

Financing

Documents

Photos

History Logs

Project Description

Country: USA

Location: San Diego, CA

Total Budget: $12,200

Areas of Focus: Maternal and child health, Economic and community development

Activity Type: Education: Scholarship

Summary: Community college scholarship provided to student from Accra, Ghana


This grant is to support a young woman from Ghana that has started a Foundation at a very early age to support young, single mothers. She wants to obtain an education so that she can further support and sustain the Foundation. We have identified a very generous host family that will house this student while she completes her degree. The funds from this grant will support her tuition, travel, a laptop computer and other living expenses while she is in San Diego County to receive her community college degree in journalism. There is no college that can provide her this education in her home country of Ghana. Note that we are working with a local Rotary Club of Nugua in Accra on this project. This club oversees the Foundation and Irene locally. A description of the Foundation and a statement by the applicant herself is given below. A photo is included in the photo section of this application.

Young Single Mother's Foundation was established by a 23 year-old lady called Irene Quartey from Accra,Ghana. This foundation was established in January, 2017. Young Single Mother's Foundation (Y.S.M.F) is a non-profit initiative aimed at providing accommodation, medication, food, vocational training and education for both mothers and their children. Young Single Mother's Foundation was started in a small community in Accra, Ghana. In this community teenage pregnancy is increasing rapidly, due to dropping out of school. This foundation was established to help teenagers who get pregnant and dropout of school. This girls are abandoned by the men who get them pregnant and their families. These young girls experience much hardship through their pregnancy and birth. Some end up in the streets with no, accommodation, medication and education. Young Single Mother's Foundation provides them with vocational training (Beads making). Y.S.M.F provides food, medication, accommodation and education for both mothers and their children.T he main aim of this foundation is to empower and change lives of young girls in their community. I saw how my mother struggled to to raise three of us all by herself. This motivates me to help young single mothers to go where no one has gone before and also to raise successful children who will have a bright future and contribute remarkably in their own ways to make this world a better place for their generation.

An introduction to this student in her own words:

MY BACKGROUND

I am the last born of my parents. We are three, two boys and me. We were raised by our mother. She took care of as solely. My elder brother who supports us financially passed away two years ago. So after I completed secondary school I couldn't further my education due to financial problems.I learn how to make beads jewelries and started a business out of it and train other single mothers too.

MY EDUCATION TO DATE

I attended Her Excellency Academy for my nursery and kinagarten education. I was transfered to Richard Akwei Memorial School for my primary and junior high education. I stayed at home for a year after I completed due to financial problems. The following year I got admission into herSt. John's Grammar High School for three years and completed in 2013. Since then I have been home working and hoping to further my education.

MY EDUCATIONAL GOALS

After college I will like to have my own talk show like the Bill Cunningham Show, The Muary Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show etc to help single mothers. I will like to motivate, empower and educate upcoming mothers and single mothers. I will like to train school dropouts and street children into beads making and to acquire other vocational skills. In Ghana there is a notion that women are supposed to be in the kitchen so whiles the men were taking to school women stay at home, although things have changed a little I will like to empower more women especially the youth to believe in themselves that what a man can do women can also do and do it better, this will help to reduce teenage pregnancy and also have more women as leaders. These are few of my goals and what to accomplish with my education in Ghana.

REASONS TO STUDY IN THE USA

The reason why I want to study in the USA is because in Ghana, there are no high-quality institutions for students who wants to study Journalism. I will also get international experience for my CV. This will help me to get employment in any reputable and high paid Television/Radio stations in Ghana.Education in the USA will also help me towards a successful international career. Through my foundation, I will like to help and to be recognized not only in Ghana but in Africa and the world at large. It will also help me to come out of my comfort zone, and become open-minded and to also broaden my horizons.I will not only grow professionally but also personally. These are few of my reasons why I will love to study I the USA.

ADDENDUM (June 13, 2018): After 2 unsuccessful attempts to obtain a student visa to the US despite being accepted as a student and our having proven financial responsibility, we have decided to change our course of action. We have had many discussions with immigration and visa experts to develop this plan. Irene will enroll in a journalism course in Ghana for the next 6 months. The College is accredited and she will receive a completion certificate. Classes begin June 18, 2018. This will increase her credibility as a serious student and may allow employment in her chosen field. In addition, we will help her do some inter-Africa travel to get some stamps in her passport. When complete, we will reassess and perhaps reapply for a US visa or enroll her in another 6 months of study. During the next 6 months, we will try to identify an industry mentor that is willing to support her application and provide mentorship opportunities for her as well. Finally, we will be providing $350 of seed money for her to add an additional line of items for sale in the Foundation shop. This will help to sustain her and the young mothers she is supporting in the interim. See attached documents for course costs and expenses incurred to date.

Project Contact Person

District: 5340

Rotary Club of: Del Mar

Primary Contact: Janice H Kurth

Email: janice@janicekurth.com

Project Status

Completed
This project is "Completed". This means the project has been implemented and the report was accepted by the district leadership. The project will stay listed on this website as a testimony of the achievements of the project partners.

Project listed for the 2018-19 Rotary Year.

Proposed Financing

Existing Contributions Towards This Project

Date

Cash

DDF

Total

La Jolla Golden Triangle (5340)

8-Mar-18

$500

$0

$500

Escondido (5340)

10-Mar-18

$3,000

$0

$3,000

Vista Hi Noon (5340)

13-Mar-18

$500

$500

$1,000

Poway-Scripps (5340)

19-Mar-18

$1,500

$0

$1,500

Coronado (5340)

21-Mar-18

$1,000

$0

$1,000

San Diego (5340)

4-May-18

$2,000

$0

$2,000

La Mesa (5340)

5-May-18

$3,200

$0

$3,200

Total

$11,700

$500

$12,200

Project Supporting Documents

Project Photos

History Log Entries

22-Feb-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Creation of project page.

8-Mar-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Pledge of $500 by Kathleen Roche-Tansey of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, District 5340.

10-Mar-18

System Entry

System Entry: Pledge of $3,000 by Johnny Watson of the Rotary Club of Escondido, District 5340.

13-Mar-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Pledge of $500 with $500 DDF by Luene Corwin of the Rotary Club of Vista Hi Noon, District 5340.

19-Mar-18

System Entry

System Entry: Pledge of $1,500 by Cecile Bowser-Robinson of the Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps, District 5340.

21-Mar-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 by Rainier Trinidad of the Rotary Club of Coronado, District 5340.

12-Apr-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Pledge of $1,000 with $1,000 DDF by Janice Kurth of the Rotary Club of Del Mar, District 5340.

4-May-18

by Janice Kurth

Irene was denied her student visa on May 2 at the US Embassy in Accra Ghana. We are working with immigration experts and putting additional assurances in place in order for a re-application immediately. I increased the grant budget to account for these additional expenses. I have identified a private donor that will complete the funding of this project. thank you all! If you need to use funds this Rotary year, please contact me privately for instructions on submitting your club cash contribution.

4-May-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Pledge of $2,000 by Roger Haines of the Rotary Club of San Diego, District 5340.

5-May-18

by Janice Kurth

The final financing entry showing La Mesa Rotary is actually a contribution from Serving Hands International via Mike Mascari. This is the only way that the contribution could be entered to show that the grant is fully pledged. Thank you all for your help!

5-May-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Pledge of $3,200 by Mike Mascari of the Rotary Club of La Mesa, District 5340.

5-May-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Project is now "Fully Pledged".

20-May-18

by Janice Kurth

Payments have been received, with checks payable to The Rotary Club of Del Mar from Poway-Scripps RC ($1500), La Jolla Golden Triangle RC ($500) and Coronado RC ($1000). Thank you all! Everyone stay tuned for word of visa approval!

5-Jun-18

by Janice Kurth

Payment have been received from the Caster Foundation ($3200) and the Rotary Club of Escondido ($3000). The former was deposited in the RC of Del Mar Foundation per request and will be transferred to the Club account to use to pay grant expenses. The latter was deposited in the RC of Del Mar club account.

13-Jun-18

by Janice Kurth

Irene's visa request was again denied on June 5. As a result, we will be changing our strategy per several discussions with visa and immigration specialists. Please see the grant description page for updated plans in detail. Contact me if you have any questions or concerns. janice@janicekurth.com

17-Jun-18

by Janice Kurth

After much difficulty, I was able to transfer the first $2000 to Accra for Irene to start classes tomorrow. I will send the remaining funds on June 25 when I return from a trip. Copies of the educational budget and the transfer receipt are attached in "documents."

19-Jun-18

by Janice Kurth

Good news! Irene was able to start her training course yesterday at Crystal College. I will upload pictures of her that day. The remaining funds for her course will be sent next week when I return to San Diego.

3-Jul-18

by Janice Kurth

Irene's college fees in Ghana for this semester have been fully paid and she is attending classes. All seems to be going well for her and the young mothers at the Foundation.

6-Jul-18

by Janice Kurth

Good news about our our scholar! Irene has successfully obtained a visa for South Africa (copy uploaded) to go on a trip with her College in the fall. The Rotary club in Accra independently raised funds for the visa application. Having this visa and experience traveling outside of Ghana will make it easier for her to obtain a US visa in the future. She is doing very well in her course work.

8-Jul-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Project sent for club signatures.

8-Jul-18

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Project signed by Janice H Kurth.

8-Jul-18

System Entry

System Entry: Project signed by Don Fipps.

8-Jul-18

System Entry

System Entry: Project signed by Dugan Moore.

6-Aug-18

by Mike Whitehurst

System Entry: Project approved by the District Approval Committee.

26-Aug-18

by Mike Whitehurst

Please confirm the bank deposit information for the DDF for Vista High Noon Rotary. Recent instructions have it going to the Vista High Noon Rotary account at California Bank & Trust.

18-Sep-18

by Scott Carr

System Entry: Check for DDF payment issued by Foundation Treasurer.

12-Nov-18

by Janice Kurth

Check from Vista Hi Noon for $500 received.

18-Nov-18

by Janice Kurth

Second check from Visa Hi Noon Rotary for $500 received.

4-Dec-18

by Janice Kurth

The Foundation and Irene are doing well. Irene graduates from her broadcasting program Dec. 14. We are purchasing a nail shop with the remaining funds to allow the operation to be sustainable. This grant should be closed in early January.

24-Mar-19

by Janice Kurth

System Entry: Final Report signed by Janice H Kurth.

24-Mar-19

by Don Fipps

System Entry: Final Report signed by Don Fipps.

25-Mar-19

by Dugan Moore

System Entry: Final Report signed by Dugan Moore.

25-Mar-19

by Mike Whitehurst

System Entry: Final report approved by the District Approval Committee.

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