UC Personal Insight Questions Anonymous

From a one-man bake sale bringing in hundreds of dollars to spending hours between classes boxing stuffed animals, I have found the best of myself in my work for U.S.-Africa Children’s Fellowship (USACF). But more than finding pride in what I do, it is because of USACF that I’ve been able to recognize the impact I can make on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Throughout my time as president of the club, I have largely focused on ensuring that I am able to achieve the organization’s mission, which is to raise awareness about the lives of students across Africa. It was only through countless hours in planning donation drives, fundraisers, and presentations did I bring to light the alarming but also crucial facts at hand: schools across Africa lack the educational resources they need in order to prosper.

But by leading groups of students in packaging donations, I discovered that there is so much I can do to help African children despite the thousands of miles that exist among us. Even as time loomed on me while I hosted long meetings discussing future initiatives and fundraising goals, I found joy in the little things, realizing that these hours would turn into years of opportunities for students in Africa. And when it...