Help an orphan become a biomedical engineer

Max Carter is organizing this fundraiser.

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The short story

My name is Raphael, and I grew up in an orphanage in Ghana. My parents could not afford to feed all my brothers and sisters, so they left me at the orphanage when I was a few weeks old. When I was 12, I went to a school a few hours from the orphanage and lived with a foster family. My foster father denied me food, made me cook and clean his house, and even tried to stop me from going to school so that I would do more work around the house. As you can read below, I got good grades, made it through the time with the foster family, and life got better. Then, when I was 16, I was accepted to one of the best high schools in Ghana. It was a boarding school a few hours away, but I could not afford it without help. I was lucky that Max, a young man from Amsterdam who is not much older than I, sponsored my school and food.

Now, something incredible has happened. I have been accepted to Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I have been awarded a $35,000 scholarship. I will study Electrical Engineering with a Biomedical Engineering focus. I hope to develop medical technology to help people in Ghana and other underserved communities. Even with the scholarship, I still have to pay for many things myself. I have already raised $14,000, but I still need to raise another $12,000 for food and housing. I would be so grateful if you would read further and consider helping me.

“I have had a tough life, but I am grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way.”

— Raphael Andoh

Raphael in his high school uniform

I’ve spent most of my life helping others. Teaching, cooking, mentoring the younger children at the orphanage, and at the same time, working hard in school to build a future. While I was in high school, when possible, I made the 4-hour trip each way to return to the orphanage to teach and care for the other orphans. In Ghana, access to doctors, good healthcare, and medicine is not a given. Sadly, it isn’t always possible to get medicine for everyone. This is one of the biggest reasons I want to study biomedical engineering. I want to be part of the solution so that more people can get the care that they need. I am now 21 years old, and I dream of becoming a biomedical engineer. I want to improve healthcare in Ghana and beyond.

I received the maximum scholarship of $35,000 to Calvin University, but I need your help to cover the remaining costs. With the help of many people, I have already raised $14,000, but I still need to raise another $12,000.

What Your Donation Covers:

- $20 – A day of food on the meal plan

- $50 – A (used) book for one class

- $150 – A week of food

- $600 – One month of housing

- $1100 – Health insurance for a semester

Any amount helps - more than you know.

Raphael at the orphanage

A Message from Max (His Sponsor)

In 2016, I met Raphael at his orphanage in Ghana. A teacher from my high school was sponsoring the orphanage and organized a trip for 12 students to help at the orphanage for 10 days. Raphael was just 12 years old. He loved to play soccer, was super energetic, and already spoke Ghanese, English, and French. But the special thing about Raphael was that even though the orphanage was always short of food, clothes, toys, and just about everything, Raphael was always kind and considerate of other people. For example, the first time I saw Raphael was when we were at the orphanage 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 to put the gift away and immediately turn around to get more. Raphael was the only one who stood beside us, giving toys and clothes to the other orphans to make sure that everybody got something, even before he received anything.

Last November, I returned to Ghana to visit Raphael, the orphanage, and his high school. Again, I saw these generous and thoughtful qualities in him. Now, as a young man, he continues to set an example for the other orphans and takes care of the younger children. For example, using what little money he has, he would buy medicine and food for the other orphans. Raphael is one of those special people who make the world a better place for everyone around him.

"Over the last 8 years, I’ve watched Raphael work harder than anyone I have met. Traveling 4 hours each way to return to the orphanage while he was just a teenager himself, helping younger kids learn, eat, pray, and dream bigger. He helped organize church events, trained and coached soccer teams, and tutored his fellow students, all while working on his own future as well. He’s become a role model not only to them, but to me.”

— Max Carter