Education Fund for the Girls

My name is Julien Kouame, and I am an evaluation expert at the University of New Hampshire. Years ago, I emigrated to the United States from Cote Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), West Africa, and to this day, my family still reside there, laboring intensely to provide the basic necessities of life: food, medicine, clothing. My mother, now 97, practiced freely the art of midwifery there and delivered hundreds of new babies throughout her lifetime. It was my joy to bring her to the United States 10 years ago, when I graduated with my doctoral degree, so that she could witness my success, the son for whom she worked so hard to provide a rare educational opportunity, a chance to rise above the poverty of West Africa and to succeed.

My mother raised her own children, my brothers and sisters, to provide scarce necessities amid impoverished conditions, and while not everyone in my family had this rare opportunity for education in the United States, as I did, they all labored fiercely in the atmosphere of love, respect and hard work cultivated by my mother. This is our family’s legacy. Together, we support each other in this same atmosphere; however, poverty remains rampant in West Africa and opportunities to secure good health care and education are not always available. To this day, I do my best to help our family financially to raise their standard of living in a threatened economy.

In good times, life in Cote Ivoire is not easy, but in bad times, it becomes a harsh reality.

On February 22, 2023, my brother, Yves, passed away unexpectedly of liver cancer, leaving behind his wife and 4 young children: 3 daughters, Penielle, age 11; Esther, age 7; Amalya, age 2. and a son (Johanne, 17)

Yves supported his family by starting a business as a chicken farmer. In November, 2022, despite all of his hard work, Yves experienced the loss of 30% of his livestock to a mysterious disease, a fact which imperiled the safety and wellbeing of his family. Throughout his lifetime, Yves wanted to ensure that his daughters and son had a good education, continuing to work hard in the tradition of their grandmother. In a society where most young children do not have educational opportunities, Yves saw education as a viable alternative to poverty, early marriage, and parenthood.

Sadly, he did not live long enough to see his dream fulfilled. It was less than 3 weeks from the time of the onset of liver “disease” to the final diagnosis of cancer, and to his death on February 22, 2023, no time at all in which to prepare his family. Now, it is time for me to fulfill Yves’ dream and to help his young family, and I am asking you to join me in this quest.

As a person who has benefited from education, I would like to help Yves’ children out of this sad time and convert it into the possibility of a viable future for them, as Yves would have wanted. This is my promise to Yves. Please make it your promise, too, and help me to help them. Your kindness and generosity WILL make a difference in this world, one that will be returned to us as Yves’ family thrives, grows, and make their own contributions to this world through the donations that you and I provide to ensure their educational opportunities.

I will continue to support Yves’ family financially. In West Africa, every dollar has value beyond the imagination and can go very far in ensuring educational opportunities and the quality of life that Yves envisioned.

Thank you, from Yves' family. Your messages, texts, cards, and support have meant so much. With gratitude, and on behalf of my brother, his wife and my nephew and nieces, I remain yours,

Julien Kouame