Metro East Mom is Restoring Hope for Kids in Developing Countries

Eight thousand miles from St. Louis, in a Ugandan village, Charles, an intelligent teen who graduated top of his class, was facing a life of poverty and desperation.

His family had little money to feed the six hungry mouths in his home, let alone send Charles to a university to continue his education to provide for his loved ones. 

Yet, during a recent trip to Africa, Project Restore founder and executive director, Catherine Keck, armed with a surprise financial contribution from a generous donor, met with Charles, treated him to breakfast, lunch and dinner, and helped register the young man at Kambogo University, paving the way for a bright future he could never have before imagined. 

Said Keck, “On the way back to the village, Charles thanked me once again. I assumed the gratitude was again related to the University tasks we had finally completed. However, when I inquired why he was again thanking me, he said, ‘Because I have not been hungry today.” 

Standing up to save lives

Like many individuals, Keck, an Edwardsville resident and a mother of two, was heartbroken by stories she heard of those in Third World countries who were forced to live without life’s basic necessities, not to mention how their lack of educational opportunities fueled their cycles of poverty. Instead of simply shaking her head, Keck decided to rise up and do something about it. 

“I dreaded the thought of having to stand in front of my children and grandchildren someday and give an account of my lack of involvement to help in some of the major global issues of my time. And have to tell them, ‘I did nothing.’” 

That’s when Keck went to work. She began researching organizations to find one that had sustainability as its core value, and when she couldn’t find one locally, she decided to build a nonprofit from the ground up – a nonprofit that addressed the interrelated causes that would help lead to sustainability and guide those in need out of poverty. 

With support from companies and individuals in the Metro East, Keck launched Project Restore, an organization “dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice while advocating self-reliance and sustainability.”

The organization centers on four core causes – education, clean water, medical care, and hunger – allowing families in developing countries to focus on their futures instead of battling for survival today. 

“In the beginning, there was a lot of pressure on me to have the organization focus on just one cause, like clean water, but I couldn’t fathom the thought of fixing a water well in a village where the families and children were starving to death and having to say, ‘Here is your clean water – good luck with the other deadly (but very preventable) issues you are facing,’ and then just walk away. It just wasn’t something I wanted to do or have an organization do. I wanted to be in it with them, as a partner, for the long term.”

For instance, in Uganda, families must cover their tuition once their children reach seventh grade. Because of the high poverty rates in the country, 90% of Ugandan children drop out of school by age 13, forever affecting their ability to thrive economically.

Project Restore’s Ambition to Tuitionis a three-to-one match savings program in which a sponsor in the U.S. covers $30 of a child’s tuition while the student handles the remaining $10. The program not only pays for items such as textbooks, supplies and school lunch, but gives students the tools they need for self-reliance, sustainability and independence. 

A local tie to an international cause

Project Restore’s interrelated programs have allowed the organization to touch families’ lives throughout Sudan, Uganda, Haiti, Mexico, and right here in the St. Louis area. Jude, for example, was forced to drop out of school and live on the streets in his village, but is now attending a vocational school for IT thanks to Project Restore.

Following a mosquito net drive in the Metro East, nets were provided to African villagers, helping prevent the spread of malaria. At a secondary school in Uganda, Project Restore volunteers trained teachers on basic computer skills using donated computers.

Local children have also stepped up to help Project Restore in its mission. According to Keck, schools throughout the area have hosted fundraisers, collected supplies for African schools, and donated books for their libraries.

Katie, a second grader from Edwardsville, sold bookmarks for Project Restore, raising more than $1,000 to purchase a milk cow for the school lunch program at the Namulonge Senior Secondary School. 

“U.S. students have been and are pen pals to students in Africa, giving them a friend across the ocean who encourages them to stay in school and study hard,” explained Keck. “The school districts and children of this area have been very generous, and Project Restore owes a lot of appreciation and gratitude to their compassionate hearts for the children of the world.” 

On Saturday, June 9, you can help Project Restore in its mission to save lives during its fourth annual Walk for Water 5K Run/1 Mile Fun Walk. Held at Community Park in Hamel, Ill., the event also includes food and beverage vendors, art and craft exhibits, and live entertainment. The race starts at 8 a.m., and the entry fee is $25. For more information on the Walk for Water or Project Restore, visit www.project-restore.org. 

By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting