From orphanage to university

In 2016 I met Raphael at an orphanage in Ghana. Raphael is a talented and amazing young man. What really shows Raphael's character is that as a teenager, while he was studying in high school, he made the 4-hour trip each way to return to the orphanage to teach and care for the other orphans. Now, Raphael has accomplished the impossible by getting accepted into Calvin University in Michigan (USA). I’ve sponsored Raphael for the last 8 years and he dreams of becoming a biomedical engineer.

The annual cost is too much for Raphael to pay for on his own. He has been awarded the maximum scholarship of $35.000, but to make his dream possible, we need to raise another $26.000 for living expenses, health insurance, books, supplies, and transportation. That’s why we are asking for your help. Thank you so much for anything you can do to help. We are so grateful!

Please share this page with friends, family, and anybody else that you think might be willing to help Raphael.

The long story:

In 2016, I met Raphael at an orphanage in Ghana. Raphael was 12 years old. He loved to play soccer, was super energetic, and already spoke Ghanese, English, and French. But the really special thing about Raphael was that even though the orphanage was always short of food, clothes, toys, and just about everything, Raphael was kind and was always considerate of other people. For example, the first time I met Raphael was when we were handing out toys, clothes, and other things that the orphanage needed. All of the other children came running with their arms out to get the toys. Then, they would run back to their beds and turn around to come back for more. Raphael was the only one who stood there with us, giving toys to the other orphans to make sure that everybody got something, even before he received anything.

Raphael works really hard. In junior high, he earned the award as best student of the school. Three years ago Raphael did the impossible by getting accepted into one of the top high schools in Ghana, Mfantsipim Senior High. This is a unique accomplishment for anyone in Ghana, and especially for an orphan. In his senior year, he was selected as class representative. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, and Kofi Busia, former prime minister of Ghana, both graduated from Mfantsipm. Both of these leaders went on to university in the United States and England. And then on to greater accomplishments. Now that Raphael graduated, he is inspired by these former leaders, and he would like to get the best possible education and dreams of becoming a biomedical engineer.

I’ve sponsored Raphael for the last 8 years, and I still see the same amazing young man I met in 2016. Now, he continues to give back and is one of the primary caretakers for all the kids at the orphanage. While he was in school, in his free time, he made the 4-hour trip each way to return to the orphanage to help whenever he could. Since he graduated high school, he spent all his time studying for the SATs, applying to universities, and giving back to the orphanage. He has been teaching, preaching, cooking, and mentoring the other orphans. Raphael tries to be a role model for the kids and pushes them to study and work hard.

Last November, I visited Raphael, the orphanage, and his old high school for the first time since 2016. Again, they welcomed me into their home, and I spent some days getting to know some of the 100 kids who live there. What stood out most was how hardworking these kids were too. All tasks are divided, and everything is run by the older kids like Raphael. The kids look up to Raphael and learn to seek opportunities like him. The problem is that there are very few opportunities in Ghana, especially if you don’t have any financial means.

Over the past 8 years, I have been able to support Raphael financially to get him through high school. Now he wants to get a bachelor’s degree in the USA, but sadly we can’t afford it alone. So we are asking for your help. Please click on the button on the right and donate something now to help Rafael. Thank you so much. We are so grateful!

Raphaels story

My name is Raphael Andoh. I’m 20 years old and grew up in an orphanage in Ghana. My parents could not afford to feed all of my brothers and sisters and left me at the orphanage when I was born. When I was 12, I met Max when he was on a high school trip to bring clothes and help at the orphanage. The orphanage has a school, but I also help with teaching, cooking, coaching, dancing, singing, and praying with the younger kids. In many ways, I have been lucky. I have had a roof over my head and food to eat. Not every child in Ghana has that. And I am lucky that I met Max, who has helped support me for the last 8 years to get into high school, pay for my tuition, books, and when I couldn’t afford it, food. Max has given me the opportunity to pursue a better life.

I want to be one of the best biomedical engineers and help to improve healthcare in Ghana. To do this, I need to attend a good university and get the best possible education. I hope I can help people around the world.

Over the last years, and with Max’s help, I have found ways to get enough money to get through high school. I have completed the SAT and have been accepted to Calvin University in Michigan. But even with full-tuition scholarships, the cost is beyond my reach. I hope you will support me. Thank you very much for helping. I hope someday, I can help people in the same way.

Instagram: raph andoh

Please share this page with friends, family, and anybody else that you think might be willing to help Raphael.