AROUND CAMPUS
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Gbowee Peace Foundation
“ It ’ s more than a book bag . It ’ s an opportunity to encourage a child to strive for excellence on their educational journey and for you to do good in your space ,” said Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee , founder of the Gbowee Peace Foundation , during the kick-off assembly for our sixth graders ’ greater good service initiative in support of GPF ’ s 2023 Book Bag Drive .
Our mission calls for our boys to aspire to “ be good men .” Boys are often reminded that good doesn ’ t equal perfect . It means committing to becoming a better person today than we were the previous day , and for our boys to “ do good in their space .” Through their work this year for GPF , the boys ran fundraisers to finance backpacks , supplies , and raise uniform money for high-achieving first through sixth graders in Liberia . The Drive awards excellence in a country where many children are strong , committed students but have financial hardships that may prevent them from attending school . As part of the project , the Liberian boys and girls and Saint David ’ s boys also correspond with each other .
Ethiopia Project
The Saint David ’ s Kalina School , an elementary school serving boys and girls , officially opened in Tigray , Ethiopia , in the summer of 2014 . Three of our Student Council Presidents accompanied Headmaster O ’ Halloran to Kalina for the opening . Ever since , we have remained committed to educating children in Tigrayan communities in Ethiopia . In 2018 , we helped build a second school located in Al ’ asa . In February 2020 , Dr . O ’ Halloran and the Student Council President at the time visited just prior to the Covid shutdown . In the ensuing years , Ethiopia has suffered from a severe humanitarian crisis caused by the country ’ s civil war , the pandemic , and a drought that has killed livestock , left 10 million people food insecure , and displaced 5.8 million people . Sadly , this confluence of crises resulted in both schools being closed to children . Al ’ asa was completely destroyed during the internal conflict and Kalina was utilized as a hospital and shelter for displaced villagers .
But there is hopeful news . With the signing of a peace accord , it is now possible to rebuild , and our boys committed this year to raising funds to reconstruct the Al ’ asa school . Money raised came from a series of initiatives spearheaded , planned , and executed by the boys themselves under the guidance of their teacher Tom Ryan , including walk-a-thons , quiz shows , pay-to-play sports , and t-shirt and ice-cream sales . All told , the boys raised $ 12,000 .
46 • Saint David ’ s Magazine