2006.10.09: October 9, 2006: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Service: NGO's: The La Grande Observer: Ghana RPCV Isaac Edvalson is the founder of Africa's Tomorrow, a nonprofit corporation that brings students from rural parts of Africa to the United States to attend college
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2006.10.09: October 9, 2006: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Service: NGO's: The La Grande Observer: Ghana RPCV Isaac Edvalson is the founder of Africa's Tomorrow, a nonprofit corporation that brings students from rural parts of Africa to the United States to attend college
Ghana RPCV Isaac Edvalson is the founder of Africa's Tomorrow, a nonprofit corporation that brings students from rural parts of Africa to the United States to attend college
Edvalson started Africa's Tomorrow after successfully bringing Dr. Ayeliya to EOU from Ghana three years ago. Ayeliya attends Eastern because Edvalson, a former teacher in the Peace Corps, gave him the chance of a lifetime. Edvalson donated $15,000 of his own money and raised another $20,000 to help cover Ayeliya's four years of expenses at Eastern.
Ghana RPCV Isaac Edvalson is the founder of Africa's Tomorrow, a nonprofit corporation that brings students from rural parts of Africa to the United States to attend college
Chance of a lifetime
Published: October 9, 2006
Caption: Izaak Edvalson, center, talks with EOU students Doctor Ayeliya, left, and Maxwell Danlogo. Edvalson helped bring Ayeliya and Danlogo to EOU from Ghana. Doctor Ayeliya obtained his first name because he was born in a hospital in Ghana. Most people in Ghana are born in villages. Photo: The Observer/Dick Mason
Dick Mason
The Observer
ew things get someone's attention like several hundred letters and e-mails.
Just ask La Grande's Izaak Edvalson.
Edvalson is the founder of Africa's Tomorrow, a nonprofit corporation that brings students from rural parts of Africa to the United States to attend college. Students are supported by Africa's Tomorrow if they agree to return to Africa after attending college in the United States.
In late August, Edvalson was trying to get a student from Ghana, Maxwell Danlogo, to the United States so that he could attend EOU. However, the United States consulate in Ghana was balking. The consulate refused to grant a visa, in part because it did not believe that Danlogo would return to help Ghana.
Africa's Tomorrow supporters went into action. At Edvalson's request, they sent several hundred e-mails and letters to the consulate office in Ghana asking that Danlogo be granted a visa. The writers explained that Danlogo would be required to return to Ghana after attending EOU.
The letter and e-mail campaign worked. Danlogo, 22, was soon granted a visa and is now beginning his freshmen year at EOU.
He represents a triumph for Africa's Tomorrow, which has about 400 people on its mailing list, many of whom are financial supporters. About 100 Africa's Tomorrow members are from Northeast Oregon.
Edvalson started Africa's Tomorrow after successfully bringing Dr. Ayeliya to EOU from Ghana three years ago. Ayeliya attends Eastern because Edvalson, a former teacher in the Peace Corps, gave him the chance of a lifetime. Edvalson donated $15,000 of his own money and raised another $20,000 to help cover Ayeliya's four years of expenses at Eastern.
Ayeliya is thriving at EOU. He regularly makes the Dean's List, is a student ambassador and is president of the International Student Association.
Edvalson met Ayeliya while working for the Peace Corps in Ghana in 1999-2001. Edvalson said he was impressed with Ayeliya's eagerness to learn and efforts to help operate his school. Ayeliya volunteered to do tasks like carry water to Edvalson's home and help with gardening. The student and his teacher became fast friends.
A junior, Ayeliya is majoring in business at EOU. He will return after graduating in 2008 and hopes to help the people of his country learn how to operate businesses.
Edvalson also met Danlogo, a friend of Ayeliya's, in Ghana while working for the Peace Corps. Edvalson was impressed with his eagerness to learn and academic potential. Danlogo is confident that he can do well at EOU because of the success Ayeliya has experienced.
"He has inspired me,'' Danlogo said.
Danlogo will later apply for admission into the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing at EOU. He plans to serve as health care worker in Ghana. The African nation is badly in need of health care workers. Many people suffer and die needlessly in Ghana because they do not understand or know of simple health precautions, Edvalson said.
Drinking water is a prime example. Many people in Ghana become ill or die after drinking polluted water. The use of simple filters by families would make their drinking water much safer, Edvalson said.
AIDS, another problem in Ghana, could be greatly alleviated with better education. Many people are dying of AIDS there, yet few understand how it can be prevented, Danlogo said. One reason is that talking about sexual topics is taboo in Ghana.
Health knowledge is primitive in Ghana, and so are medical facilities. Edvalson will never forget taking a Ghanian girl with a leg wound to a clinic. He was appalled at its lack of resources.
"They asked me if I had any gauze or tape because they didn't have any,'' Edvalson said.
The clinic also didn't have antibiotics and had to order penicillin, which arrived several days later.
Ghana's communication system also is behind the times. Edvalson had to arrange for Danlogo to ride a bicycle 20 miles to a town with an Internet cafe to communicate with him via e-mail.
Edvalson, a 1998 EOU graduate, hopes to bring in a new student from rural Africa about every two years. The students will be free to attend any college or university in the United States. Many of the students, though, will to come to EOU because of the support they expect to receive in La Grande from Edvalson.
The total cost of bringing a student to EOU from Africa for four years is now about $65,000. Edvalson and Africa's Tomorrow donors will provide $45,000, and the students will be expected to get jobs to earn the remaining $20,000.
"We want them to learn the value of work,'' Edvalson said.
The Africa's Tomorrow Web site can be reached at www.africastomorrow.org
When this story was posted in October 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: The La Grande Observer
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ghana; Service; NGO's
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