December 1, 2025
Here are some recent works of thanks we've received from students who completed high school and are now pursuing post-high school education. First up, we have a message from Damaris, who is studying for a bachelors degree in law:SUBJECT: Heartfelt Gratitude Dear esteemed donors, I hope this message finds you well. My name is Damaris Mutuku, a proud beneficiary of your generous support through World Scholarship Initiative. I am currently a second-year law student at Maseno University Kisumu cam
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August 16, 2025
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentPicture this: you're eating pizza, debating whether penguins can fly, and simultaneously changing a student's life – welcome to WSI Trivia Night! This year, we're lucky to once again return to Lucky Lab Brewing on Quimby, and we couldn't be more excited to gather with our community of supporters.Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 18th, 5:30-9:00 PM – because this year's event promises to be extra special.Get your tickets HERE or use the form below.We'll be join
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December 26, 2024
Eunice joined high school in 2019 with a full scholarship from WSI. She came from a local primary school, where she lived with her mother in a small, two room apartment. Moving to a boarding school was quite an adjustment for her, but she perservered and found her footing. She enjoyed singing at school and cooking with her mom when she was at home on holiday. By the time she graduated in 2022, in her words, she "became a responsible lady of substance." She wrote to WSI supporters, "Your genorosi
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March 6, 2024
It was an ordinary event that happens to millions of people, all around the world, all the time: the first day of high school. Last month, six students in Nakuru Kenya took their turn, putting on new uniforms and moving into the dorms that would be their new home for four years. For these students, high school had seemed almost impossible -- more a dream than a wish. But these students were dreamers, the type of people that work hard at a seemingly impossible task, hoping that something will tur
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March 4, 2024
Our favorite day of the year isn't your birthday, the Fourth of July, or even leap day... it's WSI Trivia Night! This year, we're returning to Lucky Lab on Quimby to enjoy pizza and a brew, meet with friends, and play trivia.We have more to celebrate than ever. The WSI community has helped over 50 students attend high school. In 2024, we will welcome five new high school freshmen and a record five of our recent high school graduates will join university. We will share stories of their success an
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December 5, 2023
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentLydia loves learning. So she was full of joy when last month, she graduated from university with a Bachelor's of Education, qualifying her to teach high school chemistry and math. This comes after eight years of support from WSI, which paid for her high school education and supported her while at university.Like other WSI students, plenty of obstacles stood between Lydia and earning an education. She grew up without a father in a slum area, with no money at all. But she
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November 26, 2023
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentWhat were you like when you finished high school? Did you feel relief, gratitude, or dread? WSI student Japheth completed high school this month, and reflects on his personal growth and hopes for the future in a recent letter to WSI.Japheth is an outstanding student despite a tough start in life. He tragically lost both of his parents at a young age and was brought up by community members. In high school, he served as school president, among other student leadership pos
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October 16, 2023
By far, encountering the Kenyan people and their culture, was my favorite part of my visit to Kenya – and most especially, meeting and talking with our Kenyan students. - Jacque B. (WSI Traveler 2019)WSI invites you to join us on a trip to Kenya. Go beyond the game drives and experience an authentic connection with the welcoming people of Kenya. We can customize an itinerary that can be added to your safari trip. A safari to see the wildlife and amazing landscapes of East Africa is the experien
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October 9, 2023
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentLast weekend, Joyce graduated from college and completed her journey with WSI. Her journey from a humble beginning to completing a college program fulfills the promise of WSI.Joyce grew up in Nakuru, one of the largest cities in Kenya. She attended a public K-8 school located in a slum area. Students and teachers at the school made do with limited resources: not enough teaching materials, no electricity or running water, and hand-me-down uniforms. It was the sort of pla
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July 6, 2023
Wow! We're still buzzing with energy from the 10th anniversary celebration of WSI on June 29. Sixty-five of you joined us at the beautiful McMenamins Kennedy School. Thank you to everyone who attended and extra thanks to everyone who pitched in to make the event happen. Your generosity and friendly spirits made the evening joyful!Our goal for the evening was to raise $15,000. We received $13,598 – a very good showing, but not quite there. If you didn’t have the chance to attend, consider donatin
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April 21, 2023
Calling trivia enthusiasts and friends of World Scholarship Initiative: Our annual Trivia Night event is back, and it's bigger and better than ever! On June 29, we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of WSI, so mark your calendars for a night filled with fun, food, and friendly competition, all in support of our amazing students in Kenya.This year, we're taking the party to a new, upgraded location - the McMenamins Kennedy School! We will enjoy a larger space, the famous McMenamins charm, and a
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March 31, 2023
What did your parents do when you started high school? For the mother of Belinda, who joined high school last month, the experience was overwhelming. On seeing her daughter enter the school, she shed tears at the enormity of it all.That joyful moment is the payoff for the investment of WSI supporters. For ten years, donors like you have created moments like this. The cost of a complete, high quality high school education is around $4,000. For the student and their family, it pays a lifetime of r
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December 18, 2022
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentWSI was founded a decade ago! Since that time: • 40 students (!!) have attended high school with WSI support, • 28 are currently in high school, • 11 have graduated high school, • 7 have attended college or university, and • 2 have graduated from a four-year university with a bachelor's degree!These numbers represent real people: talented young individuals whose lives have been changed by earning a great high school education.Last month, I had the privilege to travel
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September 28, 2022
Last year, a girl named Mitchelle finished 8th grade at the top of her class, but because she lived in a poor, rural area of Kenya, she could not go to high school. She was the third of four children and her father had died when she was young. Her mother simply could not afford it. Mitchelle obtained interviews for two scholarships, but didn’t get them. Then, she heard that she had been selected for the WSI scholarship. She told us what happened:“I was very euphoric and also it was my most memor
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June 5, 2022
"Work hard and when you complete your schooling, buy me a big house and plenty of food." Those were the words of the grandmother of one of WSI's new students, wishing her granddaughter Angela success at a school. Angela is one of eleven freshman who started high school two months ago, paid for by World Scholarship Initiative. Angela is from the county of Makueni in south east Kenya, a semi-arid and rural area, where she lived with her mother, grandmother, and sister. Angela with her family and
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May 3, 2022
Summer is here, which means it's time for the annual WSI trivia event! Join us for a pizza and salad dinner, pub trivia, and an update on the events of World Scholarship Initiative. When: Thursday, July 7. Join us for pizza and salad at 6pm. The trivia game starts at 7.Where: Lucky Lab Pub, 1945 NW Quimby St, Portland, OR 97209.Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Dinner is included.GET TICKETS HERE. We are supporting more students than ever in high school and college and are excited
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November 23, 2021
WSI is excited to launch a new website today. A website is the face of an organization, and we needed a facelift. Our new website is elegant, easy to use, and will let more people learn about WSI and support our efforts. WSI has grown a lot since 2013, and the new website reflects that growth.The new website would not be possible without the support of Larkins Vacura Kayser, Tom’s employer, which provided financial support. Larkins Vacura Kayser is, in many ways, similar to WSI. It is not t
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November 3, 2021
Last week I attended a conference for international development organizations in Portland. As soon as I walked in, I heard someone speaking Swahili and I knew it was going to be an interesting day. I heard inspiring stories, learned about nonprofit best practices, and came away realizing that WSI exists because of amazing, awesome people.There were representatives from the State Department, the Peace Corps, big charities like Mercy Corps, a lot of medium-sized entities, and a few small ones like
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October 10, 2021
WSI is pleased to announce that a new class of eight incoming freshman were selected and began high school in August. They are five girls: Elsie, Irene, Anastasia, Clarity, and Viviane. And three boys: Stephen, John, and Victor. These are students who have excelled academically, but lacked the resources to obtain a good high school education. They come from several areas across Kenya and traveled to Nakuru with their families to purchase school supplies and enroll at the boarding schools. In
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September 16, 2021
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentWSI focuses on providing a quality high school education to bright, deserving students. Some of those high school students perform so well that they earn admission to a four-year university - an achievement that requires performing in the top 10% of high school students. One of those students has now earned a university degree. Peris was a member of the first cohort of students sponsored by WSI, beginning high school in 2013. She excelled in high school and in 2017 e
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August 31, 2021
By Tom Bode, WSI PresidentEveryone wanders a bit after graduating high school, as we try to find our way in the world. For one WSI student, that path led him back to school, with WSI support.WSI’s higher education program focuses on students at four-year universities. Earlier this year, however, WSI embarked on an experiment to support a student earning a three-year diploma at a technical college. WSI sponsored Vincent through high school. When he graduated in 2019, he did not earn admission
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August 4, 2021
WSI’s annual Trivia Night is just around the corner! After missing last year, we’re returning to what works and changing nothing except the questions! Come have a good time enjoying pizza and beer, competing at trivia, and supporting a great cause!August 13 COVID update: Multnomah County has announced a new requirement to wear masks indoors, because of the rise in delta variant infections. There is an exception for eating and drinking. We will be following those rules.Also, attendance is limited
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April 15, 2020
By Tom Bode, President As I flew back to the USA from Kenya in February, coronavirus was growing in the news as a threat. I saw a few people wearing masks at the airport, but I was not concerned. Now, the pandemic has hit the US and worldwide continues to worsen. Kenya is not immune. The county has several very high-density population centers, a fragile healthcare system, and a large population that lives on subsistence wages. All of that sets it up to have a bad outbreak, and the governmen
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February 1, 2020
By Tom Bode, President I’ve been in Kenya for the last week, working on the WSI operations and checking in on the students, and I have exciting news to share. First, this year we’re bringing on our largest cohort of sponsored students ever, with six incoming freshman receiving WSI sponsorships. I met them and believe that they will benefit tremendously from the opportunity to attend a top quality high school. Second, Margret, who graduated high school two months ago, earned admission to a uni
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January 10, 2020
Watch this short video to meet our students and hear about their goals for the future.
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July 18, 2019
By Jacque Bode In May 2019, a group of WSI supporters traveled to Kenya to visit the students and meet with the program’s volunteers and partners. This post is the first of several by that group of travelers. Jacque Bode is the mother of WSI co-founder Tom Bode. -Ed. What a joyful challenge to try to put into words the enormity of experiences of my visit to Kenya. By far, encountering the Kenyan people and their culture, was my favorite – and most especially, meeting and talking with our Kenya
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June 20, 2019
WSI’s annual Trivia Night fundraiser is just around the corner! For our fifth year, we’re sticking with what works and changing nothing except the questions! Come have a good time enjoying pizza and beer, competing at trivia, and supporting a great cause! When: July 25 – doors at 6 pm, trivia game starts at 7 pm. Come early to grab a good seat. Where: Lucky Lab Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby Ave, Portland Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door. Buy tickets online today. Prizes will include a
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January 26, 2019
Marion and Lydia graduated from Christ the King Girls’ Boarding High School in December 2018. They are the sixth and seventh WSI sponsored students to complete high school. They wrote us letters soon after finishing school that perfectly capture the driving purpose behind everything WSI does: providing bright students with the financial support they need to become their best selves. We encourage you to read these letters and be moved by their success and maturity, just as we were. Marion’s L
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January 26, 2019
By Tom Bode, President Lydia and Marion graduated from Christ the King Girls High School in December 2018 after four years of support from WSI and earned impressive results on their all-important final exam. Their outstanding achievements during that time demonstrate the immense opportunity that WSI funding provides for young people and showcases the hard work, skill, and maturity of these two young women. WSI recently received letters from these students, which you can read on our blog. Marion
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January 14, 2019
By Tom Bode, President With a new year comes new students. In Kenya, eighth grade students receive the results of their all-important national test, the KCPE, in December. In January, we learned which students from St. Paul’s Primary School have been accepted into our partner high schools. We are pleased to announce that this year two students from St. Paul’s qualified for a World Scholarship Initiative scholarship: Yvonne and Robinson. Yvonne will join four other WSI scholars at the girls’ high
Read More →October 10, 2018
By Tom Bode, President Last time we visited Kenya, we recorded Peris telling us about growing at St. Pauls’ Primary School and eventually becoming a student at Nairobi University. It’s a powerful testament to the success that WSI and all its donors help these student to achieve.
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May 17, 2018
Win fabulous prizes!Please join your friends at WSI on July 12 at Lucky Lab Pub to celebrate our successes, support our students, and play bar trivia. We will have updates on the students, trivia game, a raffle drawing, and a black lab puppy give-a-way.This year, we’re selling tickets in advance. Buy them online.1. When: July 12, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Trivia game start at 7:00 pm2. Where: Lucky Lab Pub, 1945 NW Quimby St., Portland3. How much: $30 advance online; $35 at the door. Admission incl
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August 13, 2017
By Tom Bode, PresidentOur third trivia night fundraiser was our biggest yet and a huge success! After all the pennies were counted, WSI raised over $3,000 — 100% of that money will go to the students’ education. That’s almost enough to pay for four students for a year! Just as importantly, everyone who came had a great time.Over 75 people attended, almost completely filling our room at Lucky Lab NW. After 40 trivia questions, team “Savanah Savants” won with an almost-perfect score. Guests p
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July 11, 2017
What’s better on a summer evening than enjoying Lucky Lab’s pizza, salad, and beer with your friends, while playing trivia, AND supporting a great cause?Please join us at Lucky Lab Pub on August 10th to play trivia, enjoy pizza and beer, and support WSI’s students.1. When: August 10 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Trivia game start at 7:00 pm2. Where: Lucky Lab Pub, 1945 NW Quimby St., Portland3. How much: $20 door charge includes pizza and salad buffet, trivia scorecard, and 1 raffle ticket.4. Everyone is
Read More →June 20, 2017
By Ruby Buchholtz, WSI Board MemberWhen was the last time you were so overwhelmingly welcomed into a strange land? For me that time was during my trip to Kenya with WSI Board President Tom and Board Member Tony. In June of 2016, we were lucky enough to travel to Kenya to visit with the students, teachers, and families of the students we sponsor through WSI. During the trip, it wasn’t the animals on safari, or conditions of the schools, or even the outstanding work the students have been doing th
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June 5, 2017
By Tom Bode, PresidentWorld Scholarship Initiative’s tenth sponsored student, Joyce, began her freshman year at Christ the King Girls Boarding School in February 2017. We recently received a letter from Joyce and wanted to share it with you, because it introduces her better than we can:(click on image to view larger size)Joyce was awarded a full scholarship to high school because she scored very highly on the end-of-primary-school exam and has financial need. We are very excited to watch her g
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January 10, 2017
By Tony Mecum, WSI Board MemberWhile we we in Kenya last June, WSI Board Member Tony Mecum, a middle school science teacher by in New York, taught science classes at St. Paul’s Primary School. This is his reflection During our trip to Kenya, we spent one week in Nakuru with our students, their families, and their community. Our goal was to ensure each dollar donated to the World Scholarship Initiative was going directly to the education of our students. Our visit accomplished more than we could
Read More →November 4, 2016
By Tom Bode, PresidentUpdate: We raised $2,000 and the full amount was matched. Thanks everyone!Great News! An anonymous donor will match all donations made before December 31, 2016, up to $2,000!!!Our fundraising goal for 2016 is $10,000 and we’re almost there. Now with this matching offer, we have an opportunity to meet and go beyond that goal! In 2017, we will be starting our Professional Education Program to ensure our high school graduates get good jobs. At the same time, we are continuin
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October 14, 2016
By Tom Bode, PresidentWSI Board Members Tom Bode, Ruby Buchholtz, and Tony Mecum traveled to Nakuru in June 2016. Each of us will write a blog post or two about our experience there. This first one is by me, expect more soon!Standing on the curb outside the Nairobi airport at one o’clock in the morning, wishing I knew where the taxis were, I wondered if the whole trip would be a disaster. I had been away from Kenya for three years and I was nervous for this return trip. Was I prepared to guide
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January 12, 2016
By Tom Bode, PresidentOn January 26, Margaret and Vincent will begin their freshman year of high school in Nakuru, Kenya, thanks to support from World Scholarship Initiative. The two students – attending different, single-sex schools – will move into their dorms, meet classmates from all over Kenya, and start adjusting to life at premier boarding high schools. WSI provides funding for education in hopes that these young people will build prosperous lives and become pillars of their community.Lif
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December 24, 2015
By Tom Bode, PresidentThe 2015 WSI Holiday Trivia Fundraiser was a huge success. Fifty people came out on a rainy Monday night to Radio Room Bar in NE Portland to play trivia and support WSI. In all, over $1,700 was raised to support WSI students – enough to pay the annual costs of two students! At this event, longtime supporters mingled with new, and everyone got a chance to learn more about the mission of WSI. Generosity and holiday cheer were as plentiful as the food and drink.Shortly after 7
Read More →October 16, 2015
This December, we’re going to celebrate the education of the WSI students with an educational event of our own: bar trivia! Join us on December 21 at Radio Room Bar for a fun evening of trivia, raffles, and holiday cheer. Trivia starts at 7, but please come earlier to get a seat and a drink. Radio Room has generously agreed to donate a portion of the evening’s sales to WSI, so don’t be shy about trying the Fried Brussel Sprouts!There will be prizes to win and photography and art from Kenya for s
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September 22, 2015
On September 22, Ruby Buchholtz joined the World Scholarship Initiative Board of Directors. She brings to our group passion for our cause, talent, ambition, and experience serving in Peace Corps in the Philippines. A native of Eugene, Oregon, Ruby earned her Bachelors degree at the University of Oregon and is currently pursuing a Masters in Environmental Management at Portland State University.Ruby joins Michael Bode, Katie Cobb, Tony Mecum, and Tom Bode on the WSI Board.
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May 21, 2015
By Tom Bode, PresidentLots of exciting events have taken place for WSI over the last several months.First, in February we took on two new students to sponsor! Lydia and Marion both did extremely well on their KCPE (Kenyan Completion of Primary school Exam) and were accepted to attend Christ the King Secondary School. Marion wrote in her first letter to us:My Mother was happy for the scholarship you gave us. She had no plans of me joining form one [first year secondary school]. She did not have
Read More →February 23, 2015
World Scholarship Initiative and Amazon.com are partnering to allow you to shop online and AND support the charitable mission of WSI – at the same time! Everytime you make a purchase at Amazon using our link – http://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-3414906 – Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to WSI.
Read More →December 4, 2014
On December 11, World Scholarship Initiative will be taking part in the World Affair Council of Oregon’s International Development Showcase, an annual event that brings together locally based charities working internationally on issues of development. Guests at the event will have a chance to meet the staff and learn about the efforts of WSI and other noteworthy organizations.Registration is free. For more information, visit the event page at World Affairs Council.Hope to see you there!
Read More →November 1, 2014
By Tom Bode, PresidentHere’s a quick update on what’s happening at WSI:The Kenyan school year ends on November 14, at which point our five current students will have 3 weeks of extra tutoring (that sort of thing is common there) before heading home for Christmas. Some will stay in Nakuru, while other will go to their “home home” – that is, the rural village where their family is from.Meanwhile, eighth graders across the country will take their final Primary School Exam over three days, which det
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August 29, 2014
By Tom Bode, PresidentThis week WSI is pleased to welcome Libby Martin as a new volunteer and member of the WSI team. Libby graduated from the University of Rochester in 2011 with a double major in anthropology and public health. She has a passion for international public health and community development and has volunteered with medical NGOs in Uganda, Guatemala and Cambodia. She is thrilled to be joining WSI to help create positive opportunities that benefit both the students and their communit
Read More →August 15, 2014
By Tom Bode, PresidentThe Kenyan school year runs January through December and is divided into three terms, with a month break in between each term. In an equatorial country, having a “summer break” doesn’t make sense, because there is no summer.The students are now on their August break, having completed the second term of the year. This break, we are trying something new: all five students are enrolled in a private tutoring program. They attend tutoring in small groups with other students and
Read More →July 31, 2014
By Tom Bode, PresidentToday I received an unsolicited letter from the mother of one of the students that we sponsor. The heartfelt appreciation in it recharges my dedication to provide these students with the education and opportunity that they deserve. The chance to truly change someone’s life is rare, but this letter shows me that we are doing it for these students and their families. There is no way that I could run this program without the support of all of our donors, so please consider thi
Read More →July 16, 2014
Public transit in Kenya is largely an unregulated system of privately owned mini-buses, called Matatus. These mini buses pick up as many passengers as possible and compete fiercely for passengers. They run routes in cities or between cities and are a common site everywhere in Kenya.This video, prepared by the New York Times, is a great snapshot of life on the Kenyan street. The children we sponsor are familiar with these buses, the dirt roads, the market stands, the corruption, and the questiona
Read More →June 27, 2014
How much of your life can be attributed to the circumstances of your birth? Recently, New York Times Columnist Nick Krsitoff described a meeting between two young women, one a college student from Long Island, the other a young wife in Myanmar, who were born into vastly different circumstances. He writes, “talent is universal, but opportunity is not.” The truth of this statement is as visible in international comparisons as it is in your own neighborhood. What we’re doing at WSI is trying to pro
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June 8, 2014
The Spring 2014 World Scholarship Initiative Newsletter shares some of the highlights of the past year:– Two boys started secondary school this January because of scholarships from WSI – Our three existing students finished their first year with an impressive list of accomplishments – WSI is selling Handmade in Kenya notecards to raise money and spread awareness.Please take a look at the attached newsletter to read about these stories and more.Also, keep in mind that we’ll be returning to Keny
Read More →June 2, 2014
By Tom BodeHuman rights issues like global women’s rights are on the rise in the public conscience. Here’s an article by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kirstoff about the benefits of educating girls in developing countries.When I read this article, I notice two things. First, it seems like many organizations promoting education in developing nations are small, grassroots operations. Perhaps this is because this is not a profitable field and the only people who are drawn to it as entrepreneurs
Read More →April 4, 2014
In December, Peris, Triza and Villitracia finished their first year of high school at Christ the King Girls Academy, an all-girl Catholic boarding school. It was an exciting year of changes. They transitioned from a day school located in a slum to a boarding school that serves the brightest students from the upper class of Kenya. Each girl sent us three letters during the year, describing their experiences. (When reading their letters, remember that English is each girl’s third language and that
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March 10, 2014
By Tom Bode, PresidentGidraf and Paul in their new school uniforms.On January 29, two boys started their first year at Loreto Nakuru Secondary School in Nakuru, Kenya on scholarships provided by World Scholarship Initiative. The scholarships, funded by donations, pay for the boys’ tuition and boarding for four years at the Catholic school. We are excited to watch them learn and mature as they take advantage of this life changing opportunity.Despite challenging circumstances, Gidraf did very wel
Read More →January 14, 2014
By Tom Bode, PresidentIn Kenya, as other countries, girls face many obstacles to receiving education, so that by the time they finish primary school, girls on average score much lower than boys. Yet, research shows that educating girls has large benefits for their communities. Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and founder of Central Asia Institute, has worked in international development for two decades. In a recent magazine article, he said that “the most powerful force of change, and
Read More →January 7, 2014
Students in Kenya received their scores this week that determine their entrance into secondary school. We heard from several students from St. Paul’s Primary School, who we intend to award secondary school scholarships to. Several scored well and we are currently looking for secondary schools that would accept them as students to begin in a few months. Soon, thanks to your generosity, these kids will receive a scholarship that will change their lives! More updates to come soon!
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October 24, 2013
By Tom Bode, PresidentUPDATE (8/20/2014): We have received our determination letter from the IRS stating that our 501c3 status is official!World Scholarship Initiative is now treated as being a 501c3 tax exempt public charity! We have submitted our application to the IRS and while it is pending, the organization is treated as tax exempt, per IRS policy. We will issue receipts for donations that list our organization as a 501c3 organization, meaning that donations are tax deductible, unless our a
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October 13, 2013
By Tom Bode, PresidentThe second term of school is over and the three students have sent their grades and an update on their lives and studies to their sponsors. Triza and Peris improved their school performance over the first term, Villitracia did not, but she was sick with pneumonia for some time during the term. All three are in the top 30% of their class and Peris is ranking 13th out of 109! We am proud of their performance especially knowing that few, if any, of the other students come fro
Read More →September 10, 2013
By Tom Bode, PresidentAugust 24 was the end of the Maseno University Math Camp, which our students attended. It was difficult to organize the registration and attendance of the students from the United States but in the end, our volunteers in Kenya came through for us and everything worked out. Special thanks to teacher Millie Wanjohi, a former teacher of the girls when they were at St. Paul’s Primary School, who escorted the students on the four hour bus ride to Maseno. No one asked her to, but
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August 27, 2013
By Tom Bode, PresidentWe first conceived of this organization in December 2012 and were so inspired by the idea that we committed to sponsoring students before we had an organization, a website, financial supporters, or much knowledge of how to create and run a not-for-profit organization. We grew and learned and lot, and thanks to generous support from donors around the world, we recently made the final payment for the first year of schooling for Villitracia, Triza, and Peris, our three sponsor
Read More →July 24, 2013
By Eurie HwangThis August, Villitracia, Triza, and Peris will be off to spend a week at the Maseno University Maths Camp. They have a month-long break in August and jumped at this opportunity to immerse themselves in mathematics, which two of them consider their most challenging course.The most exciting detail of this announcement is that for the first time in their lives, the girls will be able to explore outside Nakuru. The camp takes place on a university campus, which is a good way to encour
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July 16, 2013
Excerpts from a journal written by Tom, founder of St. Paul’s Scholarship, about teaching in a Kenyan Primary SchoolTom teaching his class at St. Paul’s Primary School More pictures30 May 2013Today in class we again worked on solving simple Algebra equations. As usual, most of the students don’t get it. But some do! I set the rest of the class to doing homework but my three favorite students, Lydia, Razia, and Marion, came to the blackboard to work together on a problem that I had added as a cha
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July 16, 2013
An empty classroom at St. Paul’s Primary School. More picturesBy Eurie HwangThe Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) entered its third week of nationwide strike over increased allowances. They demand the new government implement the $552 million-pay deal the teachers union signed with previous governments. Since they began their strike on June 25, public primary and secondary school classrooms remain empty of students. This includes St. Paul’s Primary School in Nakuru, the former primary scho
Read More →June 13, 2013
The St Paul’s Academic Achievement Scholarship is looking for a Publicity and Communications Intern to assist us with publicity and fundraising efforts. If you are interested, please send us an email with your resume. This internship is open to students and non-students.We are looking for a talented, interested and self-driven intern to join our small administrative team and support the organization’s publicity efforts. You may be asked to: write press releases, respond to press requests, perfor
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May 18, 2013
The three sponsored girls have finished their first term at Christ the King Girls Boarding Academy. Following the Kenyan school calendar, they had a four week holiday during the month of April.Katie and Tom took that opportunity to take the three girls and Millie, their teacher from St. Paul’s Primary school, out to lunch. It was their first time visiting a restaurant with a menu. They shared stories from their first term at school and expressed their thanks at being able to attend the school. L
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March 3, 2013
With the students selected, the scholarship staff in Nakuru got busy. First order of business: taking the three girls to town for ice cream. While ice cream is not required for secondary school admission (and thus not funded by your donations), it was a lovely chance to get to know the three young women. At the ice cream parlour, they were unsure of how and what to order. Viliy (Villitracia) ordered “the same as Katie” and got lemon sorbet. Peris thought to get two scoops, one of mango sorbet an
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February 10, 2013
L to R: Vilitracia’s mother, Triza, Peris, Villitracia, Peris’s mother, Triza’s step-mother. More picturesWe are honored to introduce the 2013 recipients of the St. Paul’s Academic Achievement Scholarship:Villitracia, an outgoing, friendly girl who can make anyone laugh and may one day be your cardiologist.Triza, a reserved, intelligent girl who will surprise you with bursts of insight and will be found someday in a corner office in New York.Peris, an articulate, confident girl who is already di
Read More →February 4, 2013
The teams of volunteers at St. Paul’s Academic Achievement Scholarship program have been busy preparing for the launch of our website and fundraising campaign this coming Friday, February 8. Despite our best efforts to remain hidden until that time, the idea of directly contributing to the education of brilliant and needy Kenyans has been irresistible and we have welcomed our first several donations. Our problem: too many donations, too soon. It’s a great problem to have. Thanks to the hard work
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January 22, 2013
Exam results for secondary school admission are released this Friday, January 25. Shortly after, we will select the first class of students to receive the St. Paul’s Academic Acheivement Scholarship, which will pay for four years at an excellent boarding school in Nakuru.All of this, of course, cannot happen without your help. In the next few weeks, we will make financial committments to two to four students, pledging to pay for their entire secondary education, an obligation that may run into t
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