Bronx Teen Launches Nonprofit To Educate Children In Ghana

The idea began after Owobu started spending summers in Ghana at age 15.

At 18, Bronx high school senior Max Owobu is using entrepreneurship and philanthropy to expand access to education for children in Ghana, Good News Network reports.

Owobu founded the Yenko Foundation, a nonprofit that helps cover the cost of education for Ghanaian children whose families may otherwise struggle to afford school. The organization has sponsored 10 children in kindergarten through fifth grade, providing financial assistance for tuition, uniforms, transportation, meals, and school supplies.

The idea began after Owobu started spending summers in Ghana at age 15. His Nigerian father was raised in the West African country, and those visits gave Owobu a firsthand look at the financial barriers facing some families.

Owobu told Good News Network that he saw children his age working in shops or selling items on the street to help their families instead of attending school.

“I was seeing kids my age working, just selling things on the street or in shops, working along with the family to try and get by rather than going to school to get an education so they could better their lives for the future,” Owobu said.

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Rather than simply observe the problem, Owobu decided to use his own money to help. He initially used savings from his weekly allowance to pay for a Ghanaian child named Matthew to attend school. The experience eventually led him to establish the Yenko Foundation and expand his efforts to additional students.

The organization works with Calvary Methodist Elementary School in Ghana. Owobu said he chose the school after visiting and witnessing students’ enthusiasm for learning.

According to the foundation, $1,000 can cover tuition, uniforms, transportation, meals, and school supplies for one student for an academic year.

Owobu is continuing to grow the organization while completing his senior year of high school and preparing for college. His immediate goal is to sponsor 10 to 15 children through primary school.

His longer-term vision extends beyond education. Owobu hopes to eventually expand the foundation’s work to support hospitals, orphanages, and other communities in need across Ghana.

What began with one teenager’s allowance has developed into an international effort focused on addressing one of the fundamental barriers to education: the cost of getting — and keeping — children in school.