By Keilah Creedon | Project Coordinator
Felix is usually a very happy young man. His smile is magnetic and he is well known by MindLeaps students for his storytelling and comedy recitations as well as his impressive jumping talent in dance class. However, I’ve never seen him quite as happy as when we told him the news that he had been selected as the next MindLeaps student to go to school. In tears of joy, all he could ask me, was “why me? Why did you choose me?” As one of our top students who has faithfully attended our programs for four years and has transformed in ways we didn’t even expect, all I could tell him was “how could we not choose him?” He did not stop glowing from that moment, and he got in the car, along with all of his new materials for living in the dorms, to go to school.
I’m so excited to share that, thanks to all of you who believed in Felix and donated (with some donations coming outside of GlobalGiving), we have been able to raise all of the funds we need for him to start school at the beginning of the school year in early February.
Now, in March, the first few weeks of school have gone really well for him. He has adjusted to being at a school environment, and, just as he did at MindLeaps, is working extremely hard to succeed.
The majority of the money that you raised ($1000) helped us pay for his tuition, room and board, school materials (like notebooks and pens) as well as boarding materials (new clothes, a blanket, mattress etc.) The remaining $564 went to cover the cost of a private tutor who will work with him daily throughout the year. This is so crucial given that he will be competing with peers who have all finished primary school and some secondary school, while he has only finished primary four (roughly fourth grade.) This tutor will help him catch up on the basic reading and academic skills that he needs to succeed.
We couldn’t have made this happen for Felix without your generous support. Thank you again for giving this young man a chance to learn and create a better future. We will be sending out three reports on his progress throughout the year. If you would like to receive these reports, please send an email to Keilah at keilah@mindleaps.org.
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