Clarisse graduated near the top of her class and wanted to become a nurse. Vieux wanted to get his Master's degree in environmental science so he could engineer solutions to address malnutrition in his home country. Abdoul wanted to become a doctor to help people in his village he saw struggling with malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.

But one thing stood in their way: they couldn't afford to continue their studies.

Opportunity Africa was founded by a Minnesotan woman who studied abroad in Cameroon, West Africa in 2001. Overwhelmed by the extraordinary warmth, generosity, and hospitality extended to them, she wanted to find a way to give back.

Investing in a child’s education stimulates a ripple effect of improved health outcomes, increased prosperity, and greater freedom. In addition to hopefully providing people with a broader range of future opportunities, for some, education alone helps provide a sense of purpose and direction.

Why help kids halfway across the globe? As the late Senator Paul Wellstone once said, "We all do better when we all do better."

With your help, Opportunity Africa is preparing the next generation of Cameroonian scientists, health workers, teachers, and political leaders by giving individual scholarships to academically talented students who can't afford to go to school. We are creating a better learning environments by providing rural classrooms with desks, chalkboards, and books. And we're fostering cross-cultural learning opportunities by connecting classrooms in Minnesota with classrooms in Cameroon.

Opportunity Africa is completely volunteer-run -- both here and in Cameroon. This means 100% of your donations go to help those who need it most.

World change starts with educated individuals -- be the change for these students.