Sponsor Students at Nestor's School in Benin

Chris Starace is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

This fundraiser is over and I've started a new one for the 2024-2025 school year. Please see the new GoFundMe page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-la-grace-schools-bright-future

My birthday is in July. I'm turning 50!! No gifts please! Instead, please sponsor one of Nestor's students at his school in Benin, West Africa. That would be a wonderful birthday gift to me as well. Nestor is my friend who I knew while I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa from 1995-1997. Nestor received his bachelor's degree and later tried to find a permanent job as a teacher. No permanent jobs were available so he took it upon himself to create his own school in a small village called Ayou near Allada. He opened it 5 years ago (in 2018) and every year it has grown. In September he will have 235 students. He reported that 100% of his students passed the national tests from last month. He has also increased enrollment each year proving that students are learning and the school is well managed. Nestor's school is private and secular. It's important to the village of Ayou because the public schools are far away, have very large class sizes, and are underfunded and mismanaged.

Nestor has many students in need. Your donation will allow students who have attended his school in the past but have not been able to pay and may not be allowed to continue to attend since the school's resources are very limited. Please consider sponsoring a student in any amount or choose to sponsor a student for the year for any of the below expense categories. See the very bottom for comments to see who has already been sponsored. Please put in the comments section which student you are sponsoring and which expense categories you would like to fund. My goal of $2,100, if met, will sponsor 20 students for the upcoming school year.

Merci!

Expenses for each student who cannot afford to pay:

Realize that the average salary is $2 a day or about $42 a month so tuition alone is more than one month's pay! A lot of men are subsistence farmers and their income is dependent on access to land and weather conditions. Many of the mothers resell items in the markets and make very slim profit margins.

Yearly tuition - $45

School supplies - $10

Uniform $8

School field trip- $9

Breakfast and lunch: 20 cents a day or $33 for the entire school year.

Total school fees for one student for the whole year- $105

See the below bios and photos for students in need. Below are some photos of the school.

Sponsored in full by Carole Prikasky -1- Ulrich YENASEA is the boy to the left of the boy in the red shirt. Ulrich is 7 years old and is in 2nd grade. He lives with her parents. His father is a farmer and his mom is a housewife. He has 4 siblings. The family has no means for his education and he’s the only child who goes to school.

Sponsored in full by Ricardo Manzanarez Rojas-2- Eloise WANGNANNON. She is the girl eating from the yellow bowl in the back right. She’s 7 and is in 2nd grade. Her parents are divorced and is living with her father. He is a mechanic and there are three siblings. The family cannot pay school fees and her older brother also attends Nestor’s school. She has to walk a mile each way to school.

Sponsored in full by Ricardo Manzanarez Rojas-Epaïnette WANGNANNON is the boy in the front right clapping his hands. He’s the brother of Eloïse shown above. He’s 8 and in 3rd grade. His parents are divorced and he’s living with his father who is a mechanic. He has three siblings.

Sponsored in full in memory of Rick Starace-Thabou ADJAHO is the boy in the front and center. He’s 6 and is in 2nd grade. His parents are divorced and he lives with his stepmother. The father raises pigs, chickens and goats and he has 6 siblings. His parents are not able to pay his school fees.

Sponsored in full by Greg and Cindy Hawkins -Comariath ADJAHO is the girl in the front right next to Thabou (above) and she is his older sister. She is 8 and is in 3rd grade. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her stepmother. The father raises pigs, chickens and goats and he has 6 siblings. His parents are not able to pay his school fees. She did well on a national exam last year.

Sponsored in full by Eric Katz-Nadjath ADJAHO is 10 and is the oldest daughter and is going into 5th grade last year. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her father. The father raises pigs, chickens and goats. She has 6 siblings and her parents are not able to pay for school fees. If she cannot pay the school fees, she’ll have to walk 2 miles each way to the overcrowded public school in Allada.

Sponsored in full by Yamilee Bastien- Carlos GOUADRE - He is 7 years old, comes from a poor family and is the only child in his family that is attending school. His father is a farmer and his mother is a saleswoman in the market. He lives with his mother and has six brothers and sisters.

(No photo)

Sponsored in full by Alice Starace- Belvida HOUBO She is an orphan. Her mother died and her father abandoned her and left her with her grandmother. Her father is a motorcycle taxi driver but unfortunately, he is not involved with her education. She has five brothers and sisters. She attended 4th grade last year but was not able to pay her school fees.

Belvida HOUBO- Third student in the front row who is writing.

Sponsored in full in memory of the late Rick Starace- Anathanie Bignon HOUBO - She is 5 years old and is the sister of Belvida. (No photo)

Sponsored in full by Alice Starace-Chancelle HOUNNOU is in second grade. She is an intelligent girl. She lives 2.5 miles from school and must walk both ways. Her parents do not have a stable work and they are obliged to leave her in our charge from morning to evening.

Chancelle HOUNNOU

Sponsored in full by Alice Starace-Agnès SAGBO is in first grade. She is an intelligent girl. Her mother works in the fields growing cassava. After her first year her mother was not able to pay for her school fees and decided to keep her at home. Nestor was able to pay her school fees last year but needs an ouside donor to contribute to her fees so she can continue her studies this year.

Agnès SAGBO (The girl with the yellow bowl)

Sponsored in full by Alice Starace-Plucilia HOUNOU is 8 years old and is in 2nd grade. She lives with her mother and is hardworking. Her mom works in the fields and her father drives a motorcycle taxi. Plucilia has has three bothers and sisters.

Plucilia HOUNOU

Sponsored in full by Alice Starace and Jen Tawil-Irene NONMAN- She is 7 years old and is in second grade. She lives with her mother, father, her grandmother and her older brother. Her father is a mason and mother housewife. Her father and her mother never went to school. Unfortunately Irene's parents are not able to buy her school supplies or pay her tuition.

Irène NONMAN (front and center)

School Supplies sponsored by Jen Tawil ($10) , $25 of tuition sponsored by Rachel Diamond, $20- Kacey Barry. - Miracle FOLLY is 6 years old and is in second grade. He lives with his father and mother. His father is a farmer and his mom is a housewife. His parents do not yet know the importance of education, and like his older brothers and sisters, they did support him going to school. He was only able to attend last year due to Nestor waiving his school fees. He does not even have the the necessary school supplies.

Miracle FOLLY (on the right)

Sponsored in full by anonymous- Exaucé TOBONON is 6 years old and is in second grade. He lives with his father and mother. His father is a mason and his mother housewife. His parents know the importance of school, but do not have the financial means to ensure his education. They cannot afford to pay his tuition or his school supplies.

Exaucé TOBONON ( Second row on the right.)

Sponsored in full by the late Rick Starace-Prince Pedro BOCO He is 6 years old and is in 2nd grade. He lives with both parents. His father is a tailor and mom a housewife. Prince has four siblings. Unfortunately his parents don't have the means to ensure his education. They cannot afford his tuition or his school supplies.

Prince Pedro BOCO

Sponsored in full by Barbara Gillingham- Morel Kpongue He is six years old and is in second grade. He lives with his father and his mother. His father used to sell black market gasoline but now it is prohibited. His mother is a housewife. Since his father is no longer able to work, his family cannot pay his tuition or buy school supplies.

Morel KPONGUE (Second from the right)

$100 Sponsorship by Ruth Barber- Urielle AGBENON She is 4 years old and is in kindergarten. She lives with her dad and her mother. Both parents lost their jobs as laborers doing odd jobs due to COVID 19. She has two siblings. She needs assistance and follow-up. She's a smart girl and diligent in school.

Urielle AGBENON

Sponsored in full by Veronica Dube- Urielle ADJOVI She is 8 years old and is in 4th grade. She lives with her dad and her mother. The father is a laborer and the mom is a housewife. She has five siblings. She is the only family member who has studied up to this level. She is a smart girl and diligent in school.

Urielle ADJOVI (She is to the left of the pink backpack)

$100 sponsorship by Nancy Gerbino- Exaucer ATCHECHEOU. She is 7 years old and is in 2nd grade. She is with her dad and her mother. Her dad is a security guard and her mother is a housewife. She has 5 siblings. Exaucer is the only girl who has gone to school in her family. She is a smart girl and diligent in school. She needs support and follow-up.

Exaucer ATCHECHEOU- (The girl on the left)

Sponsored in full by Kathy and Tony Starace-Isaïe SAVI He is 5 years old and is in kindergarten. He lives with his dad and her mother. His father is a mechanic and his mother is a housewife. He has 3 siblings. His parents have never been to school. He needs assistance and follow-up. Isaac has to walk 1.5 miles to get to school.

Isaac Savi (The boy in front looking down)

Sponsored in Full by Veronica Viggiano-Eunice BOSSOU is 9 years old and is in 4th grade. She lives with her dad and her mother. Her father is a farmer and her mom is a housewife. She has 8 siblings. Her father and mother have never been to school. She needs assistance and follow-up.

Eunice BOSSOU (The girl in the center wearing the back pack)

Sponsored in full in memory of Rick Starace- Belvina HOUBO is 8 years old and is in 3rd grade. She lives with her dad and her grandmother. Her dad is a farmer and her grandmother is a housewife. She has 4 siblings. Unfortunately her mother died 5 years ago. She needs assistance and follow-up. She has to walk 1.2 miles to get to school.

Belvina HOUBO

Sponsored in full by Rani Deshpande and Shev Dee- Azizath ADJAHO is 6 years old. She is in first grade. She lives with her dad and her mother. Her father is a farmer and mother is a housewife. She has 8 siblings. She is the only girl who goes to school in the family. She needs assistance and follow-up.

Azizath ADJAHO (on the swing)

Sponsored in full in memory of Rick Starace-Romeo Dohouin is 7 years old and is in 2nd grade. He lives with his parents. His father is a farmer and his mother is a housewife. He has 4 siblings. Romeo was expelled from another school for non-payment of tuition. Nestor welcomed him into his school without paying. He's a smart kid and needs needs financial assistance and follow-up.

Roméo D0HOUIN ( In the front in green)

Sponsored in full in memory of Rick Starace- Rebecca GBOHOUME is 10 years old and is in 4th grade. She lives with her mother and father. Unfortunately her dad is sick and cannot work. Her dad used to be a farmer and her mother is a housewife. She has 3 siblings. She has been in a situation of unpaid school fees for two years. She is an intelligent child and needs financial assistance and follow-up.

Rebecca GBOHOUME (front right corner)

Sponsored in full in memory of Rick Starace- Olive AIVI is 6 years old and is first grade. She lives with her mother mother and dad. Her father is a laborer and her mother is a housewife. She has 2 siblings. She has not been able to pay her tuition for two years and is a smart child. She needs financial assistance and follow-up.