In 2008 I first traveled to Ghana with a study abroad group, staying in the country with my now-mother-in-law, Margaret, to volunteer at the Children's Home of Hope, a home for children in need of care. That's where I met Joseph. I was 20; he was 8.

He was an energetic, hilarious, hard-working, sensitive leader in the group, and the two of us grew a special bond. Despite the language barrier, we laughed so much together. I returned the following summer with Margaret, Adam, and my friend Johannah, thrilled to be able to spend another chunk of my summer with him and all of the kids. It was painful to leave, knowing I likely would not return again, as college was coming to an end for me. But following those two trips, my family and Adam's family continued to support the kids through school, fundraising for fees and sending over supplies. After a handful of years, the frequency of contact with the administrator dwindled, and the kids aged out of elementary school.

Then, in 2016, I was living in Charlottesville, Virginia, and was totally shocked when Joseph friended me on Facebook. I recognized his name immediately. He had been looking for me for a while, and once we were in touch, we talked all the time. Joseph was doing well in school, but he still had limited options. Together we hatched an idea: if we could get him admission into a private high school in the US, he could come live with me and Adam. I spent most of 2017 and some of 2018 jumping through the many, many bureaucratic hoops to make this possible. Astoundingly, we achieved absolutely everything we needed - including school admission and a sponsor for the tuition - but at his visa appointment in the Ghanian capital, Accra, he was flat out denied with no given reason. There was no recourse. He was a young person with no deep ties to Ghana - he might want to stay in the U.S. - and for that, he was likely denied. Even though he wanted to come. Even though I wanted him to come. We grieved.

Instead, I continued to support him financially through secondary school in Ghana. Upon graduation, he was able to secure a full scholarship to a university due to growing up in a children’s home. He is now approaching his third year of university, and he asked for my help. He wants to add another major, but his scholarship won’t cover it. He wants to add social work because he has a heart for vulnerable people, given his own history and circumstances. I would love nothing more than to support him in this endeavor, and I’m asking for your help. These are his words below:

My name is Joseph Appiah. I’m 23-years-old and I’m currently studying Language and and Cutural Studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. I am minoring in Social Work. I want to major in Social Work but my University will not allow unless I pay high fees. I have always wanted to be able to make a difference in people’s lives. With Social Work I know I can do this in a caring and supportive way. I also see it as an opportunity to improve the lives of society’s most vulnerable people by being a voice for them and helping them to build a great life for themselves. With your help I will be able to achieve my dream of becoming a social worker which will make me able to make difference in the life of people and my society at large.

The cost of the additional classwork is $2,000. Thank you for anything you can offer toward this goal.