My name is Ken Schell-Smith; I am a rising sophomore at Brown University concentrating in environmental science to pursue my goal of helping developing nations improve their economies sustainably. Being my first trip abroad at any point in my life, this opportunity to volunteer with the UN REDD (Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is possibly the most exciting and beneficial event yet. I will be assisting local Kinshasa farmers in building infrastructure for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the form of forests that will be maintained by said farmers. These forests will not only provide reliable income for generations to come, but also decrease carbon emissions of humanity. Not to be cliche, but quite literally this is what needs to be done to save the world we have left so devastatingly degraded. This would be more of an investment into preserving the planet for future generations than it is an investment in my person. I wholeheartedly believe this will help Congolese citizens in addition to all humans. I truly wish to make a difference, even if it is minute and only directly impacts a few people. Donations will be put towards travel expenses. I am currently working as much as possible as a server to cover the remainder of the expenses. Thank you for your time and consideration; any amount you find feasible or sharing the link is greatly appreciated.