A History of Growth Through Learning
 Rachel Talidda Nanteza and Roger Whiting - Namugongo Girls' Boarding School, Uganda |
A two-week safari to the Serengeti in the summer of 1996 turned into more than a pleasure trip for Roger L. Whiting, life insurance representative and financial planner. Though impressed with the beauty of the landscape and exotic animals, he was even more captivated by the African people he met on his tour. In fact, he was so interested that he always desired to sit beside the driver so that he could talk about life in Africa, the availability of education and chances for a good paying job, possibilities for credit for a home mortgage, and accessibility to health care. What he learned was not encouraging.
While staying at the Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Mr. Whiting had the opportunity to talk with a young waitress. It was during that discussion that he learned the real truth about education in Africa. Families there tend to be large - six to eight children. Consequently, couples have many children who can "work the fields" and provide for them when they are too old to continue working. He learned that this young woman wanted further education, but could not afford it as she was sending money home to help pay the school fees for her younger brothers and sisters.
Upon returning home to the U.S., he was in a virtual state of "culture shock," and for the next two to three months he contemplated what he had seen and learned. Seeing poverty on television is one thing - seeing it in person is a totally different experience. After considerable research he realized the plight of many young women and girls in East Africa. Everyone must pay school fees in East Africa, and where there is limited family income the needs of girls are often neglected. By July 1, 1997 Mr. Whiting had founded Growth Through Learning, Inc. Non-profit status as a 501 (c) 3 organization was received in May of 1998. The organization funds secondary and post-secondary education for girls and young women in East Africa. This is a region where private boarding schools provide virtually the only means of quality education beyond the elementary level.
In September of 1997 Mr. Whiting traveled to Dar es Salaam in order to meet with Hon. Anna Mkapa, the First Lady of Tanzania. She had started a new organization called the Equal Opportunity for all Trust Fund, a program that also targets women's education issues. With this additional exposure to the African culture, Mr. Whiting returned home with a deeper understanding of the issues and difficulties of providing adequate education for all people.
While in Dar es Salaam he also met with Rev. Josiah Muganda, a retired minister who became GTL's first Scholarship Coordinator. Without his help in finding needy and deserving students and obtaining completed applications, Growth Through Learning would undoubtedly not be where it is today.
Mr. Whiting returned home from that visit with a renewed sense of commitment and immediately began fund raising by sending letters to his friends and those with whom he had been on safari. At first the progress was slow and sometimes frustrating. However, by January of 1998 GTL had raised sufficient funds to provide education for twelve girls.
By utilizing the Internet, Mr. Whiting sent hundreds of e-mails to people all over the United States. That effort resulted in several contacts that have proved to be invaluable. A college professor at Brandeis University referred him to a former student from Nairobi, Kenya. After several e-mails back and forth to Nairobi, Ms. Florence Nyamu became GTL's second Scholarship Coordinator. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Education and has proved to be instrumental in helping GTL to expand its program into Kenya.
Another Internet contact led Mr. Whiting to GTL's third coordinator, Sr. Immaculate Nassuuna in Mityana, Uganda. And although he had not intended that GTL expand into Uganda so soon, appropriate applicants were referred and accepted for scholarship aid.
Soon Mr. Yona Andrew, principal of a primary school in Arusha, Tanzania, became the organization's fourth coordinator. He has worked tirelessly in seeking appropriate candidates and helping to administer the program in his area.
By June of 1999 the program had expanded to 32 scholarship recipients, and Mr. Whiting returned to Africa once again. This time he visited three countries and four cities in the space of just two weeks. While there he had extensive meetings with the coordinators in order to discuss the organization's guidelines and procedures. In addition, he visited the schools where GTL was sponsoring girls, and most importantly, he talked with the girls themselves.
There is no question but that Mr. Whiting's return visits have been effective. Similar annual trips have resulted in even closer ties between GTL and East Africa - especially with the students themselves. One of GTL's requirements is that each scholarship recipient write a thank you note in English. It is obvious from these letters that having a personal contact with Mr. Whiting is important in encouraging them toward even greater effort with their studies. They come to understand that GTL is not just paying their school fees. The organization is concerned with their welfare and the potential for empowerment and self-sufficiency that only education can provide.
GTL has experienced remarkable growth since its modest beginning. The number of scholarships awarded had increased to 57 the third year, and 88 by the year 2001. Since 2002 the organization has supported well over 100 girls annually; and scholarships offered since GTL's inception total over 500.
Volunteers run the organization almost exclusively, and it is worthy to note that the ratio of overhead expenses to income has been reduced from 36% the first year to just 12.5% this past fiscal year. This efficiency undoubtedly accounts for much of the increase in tax-deductible donations. And, as additional contacts are made here in the U.S., Growth Through Learning is firmly establishing itself as a viable and worthwhile program for the education of girls and young women of East Africa.
Last modified: Jun 22, 2006, 21:50 EDT