African Peace Corps Affiliates Scholarships
Today a young African man is studying at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois as a result of the crosscultural friendship that began 38 years ago when John Baird, piano technician of Decatur, Illinois, served in the Peace Corps. That young man is Mourtallah Idy Gondah, 27, who comes from Niger, West Africa where Baird served for three years in the early 1970's. During this time, Baird developed a close friendship with Mourtallah's father, Idy Gondah, who was his Nigerien counterpart in the village where they lived. They managed the peanut coop. "Despite the striking differences between our two cultures, Idy and I had similar interests, personalities and values," recalls Baird. "We spent a lot of time together on the job, and I ate every evening meal at their house. Mourtallah's mother cooked my food for a whole year!" The relationship between the two became like that of brothers (consequently, these days Mourtallah always refers to John Baird as "Uncle").
John never imagined that 36 years later Idy would ask if his scholarly son could come to the United States to study. At first, the idea seemed too farfetched to consider. More than a year passed before inspiration hit, and John realized he was uniquely qualified to help make these dreams become reality. Soon, John and his wife Jan found themselves in careful visa discussions with the American Embassy in Niamey, since applications are denied at a high rate. Against long odds, Mourtallah arrived at O'Hare International Airport on December 21, 2007.
Mourtallah now has a one-year track record behind him. After an intense semester and summer of ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, Mourtallah was able to jump into regular classes along with American students. This fall he did very well in Calculus, Chemistry, and English 101. Next semester he will add Physics and Engineering Graphics.
Now that Mourtallah has shown himself to be a viable student, his future is opening up before him, full of promise. One year of study could grow into four, but this will require additional funding.Mourtallah would like to pursue a Civil Engineering degree to help build Niger's infrastructure. His country needs him. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world -- 174th out of 179 (UNHDI), and there is a great need for roads, buildings, and water wells. All too often, the harsh Sahara climate keeps international aid away.
With his education, and skill in French and English, Mourtallah could serve as a vital resource. Mourtallah would eventually move on to the University of Illinois to complete his degree. Tuition is $6,143; a physics book $93. The Bairds have paid most of the first year's expenses, and need help. Mourtallah requires additional support of about $154,000 to finish his degree and to realize his dream.
Why would you want to help? One brief consideration: The relationship between the United States and the Muslim world has been severely damaged in recent years. Supporting a Muslim student to obtain his education might be a small way to help with the healing. Niger is a friendly place for Americans. Today, after 45 years of uninterrupted Peace Corps presence in the country, many officials in the democratically-elected government have fond memories of volunteers helping in their villages or teaching in their schools.
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CONTACT US:
John Baird, 76 N Country Club Rd, Decatur IL 62521
Email: ScholarshipAfricanPeaceCorps@yahoo.com
Direct donations are welcome, but are not tax deductible.
Tax Deductible Donations, large and small, can be made to a mission project set up to support African students (see www.cccdisciples.org). Checks should be made out to Central Christian Church with “Scholarship—African Peace Corps Affiliates” (or just “SAPCA”) written on the Memo line, and sent to 650 W William St, Decatur IL 62522 . A letter acknowledging the gift will be sent for tax purposes. Donations do not support the operation of any religious institution, and there is no connection with the national Peace Corps program. Alternately, you can give through the PayPal button below or the MySpace and FaceBook websites. These scholarships are set up to support any African student with a Peace Corps affiliation. Mourtallah is our first recipient. Our heartfelt thanks for each and every donation.
Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
(217) 428-4336
email the webmaster at gbarron@cccdisciples.org