1. Can you very briefly describe yourself and list your contact information?
My name is Francis Dayamba and I am a junior civil engineer at Clarkson University. Despite my technical background, I have created a club that will allow
me to cultivate my social engineering mindset and to express my concern about the lack of development in my continent of origin, Africa. The characteristics that I feel define me as a person are: well-roundedness, patriotism, enthusiasm and confidence.
Contact Information: dayambfo@clarkson.edu, Founder of D’AMUGE FUND Club.
2. Can you describe the organization that you started/helped to start?
The D’AMUGE Fund targets educational institutions, particularly primary schools, in an attempt to impact the dynamics of destitute communities in Benin. Education is becoming increasingly essential to one’s success in life. So, the logic behind this initiative is the more accessible education is the more of a chance students will have to succeed in life and the more they will be able sustainably help their country.
We intend to establish multi-faceted grass root level projects, in an attempt to address the causes rather than the effects of poverty. While these projects have been primarily established to increase educational accessibility, they also target entrepreneurship, infrastructure and health of the community.
An example of such a project is an initiative that builds a water tap in a school. While the water tap will be managed by both the staff and the students, water will be sold to the local community. Not only will this provide accessible clean water to the community but it will generate profit for the school. This profit is then to be saved until enough money is collected to build another water tap. This money would then be donated to another school to allow them to benefit from the same privileges and so the cycle would continues.
3. What was the process you followed to start your organization?
To begin with, I observed that in Benin there are industrious and honest people that are in need of sustainable resources but do not know how to access them. Likewise, at Clarkson there is an interest amongst students to assist but lack the knowledge on how to do so. With that being said, the first step in the process of creating the club was to realize that both of these extremes existed. The club is merely a medium by which these two parties can benefit from one another.
The second step is to convert an idea into a reality by making your group officially recognized by an established authority, which in my case is the student senate. Before the D’Amuge Fund can be recognized by the student senate, a constitution has to be created which will be scrutinized. If it is approved the club is then officially recognized.
Thirdly, you must be willing to advertise your club in an effort to recruit members in order to build man power. At the same time, it is important to establish core members of your group that are dedicated to the cause.
This is currently the stage at which the club is at, but the next steps that the club anticipates to cover are:
Have a successful first meeting in which we will establish the direction of the club
Hold elections to determine officers throughout the year,
Build awareness on campus while following the mission.
At the end of the year, execute the plan that was designed in the beginning of the club.
4. Can you tell me the story of how you raised $650 and donated it to schools in Africa in person?
In order to build awareness of Africa, the club decided to sell West African bracelets to the Clarkson community while informing students, professors and faculty of the conditions that the average person faces in Benin. We created a brochure and a poster which we used at table in our student center between rush-hour times (12-1 and during the intermission of hockey games) and advertised for a total of 10 hours. Out of curiosity, charity and concern the Clarkson community bought the bracelets and donated money. Overall, we were able to raise approximately 650 dollars.
The delivery of the donations to the school was the most rewarding aspect of the whole process. We chose the School of Avossa because of the desolate conditions and its resilient and hard-working staff. The most challenging aspect was determining how we could distribute the funds in order for the money to be used as efficiently as possible. With much consultation with the director of the school district, an educational specialist and the director of a Non-governmental Organization (NGO), the money was distributed as follows.
The funds were used to purchase the cloth required to sew school uniforms, which were provided to all of the students of the primary school. We gave the cloth to the student’s so that the families do not become dependent on our help and are forced to contribute towards the expense of getting the cloth sewn. This will also help the local tailor, who will get an influx of clients from the school. We rewarded the top 10 students with merit-based scholarships and the poorest 20 students with need based scholarships. In addition they all received kits that consisted of a notebook, a pen and a pencil.
We decided to help the 20 poorest students because in this primary school it was found that there is a correlation between higher family income and success of children at school.
In addition to that, we donated Christmas presents to the school in the form of soccer and tennis balls, candy and cookies and various board games.
Along with that, the NGO called IFESH- Benin donated a variety of things from French work books to teaching manuals.
5. What is your ultimate goal for this fall?
Despite the impact that was made, more work is needed. So this year, we are going to set a goal to fundraise more than $2000 by seeking help from external sources such as NGO’s and co-operations interested in helping our cause. Once the money is raised, we would like to think of creative ways in which we can help schools whilst bolstering the economy of the local community. We would also like to build the cultural awareness of West Africa amongst the club and the Clarkson community.
6. What leadership qualities do you think you are honing from establishing and working with your organization?
Before I make any comments about my leadership abilities, I would like to mention that the group with which I am working is very laborious and consists of connoisseurs at particular tasks that they are doing to help the club. The most important quality that I bring to the group as a leader is my knowledge of the Beninese educational system and my interest in development. Both of these allow me to give a unique perspective on how the club should be run and what particular problems we should address. In a sense, I have an emotional attachment to both the club and the problems that we are trying to solve. The goal is to have this emotional drive resonate throughout the whole group.
7. How might people outside of Clarkson University help your organization?
At this stage, there are two ways in which people outside of Clarkson can assist in the clubs endeavors. Firstly, I would like people to brainstorm and find innovative ways to help the education facilities in small communities while positively affecting the economy of the community. Secondly, donations are always solicited and deeply appreciated. As the club develops out of its infancy stage, there will be a lot more tasks that can be accomplished by students outside of Clarkson. Hopefully, one day we can have the club grow to the point that we have more chapters all around the nation and they can help in their own way.
8. Can you tell me about any noteworthy accomplishments your club has had?
So far, the most noteworthy accomplishment has been the donated money to the school at Avossa. My father kept in contact with the school and apparently the following semester more students enrolled into primary school. This news in itself motivated me to continue the work that I am doing.
One of the main functions of this club is to change the mind-set of the people in these local communities. They must understand that they should not be content with their current quality of life. They must battle for better living conditions, better jobs and a better life. This fight begins with education, acquiring the knowledge to understand the circumstances of their situation and use this knowledge to improve their lives. When people in these communities are thinking along these lines, only then will I consider that the D’Amuge Fund has made noteworthy accomplishments
listen. learn. share. repeat.™
This interview was conducted by Clarkson University Junior, John Exley, contributing blogger and emerging leader interviewer for Nextvoice247.
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Francis and John – Thanks for sharing your stories and demonstrating what is possible at any stage of our lives or careers. You prove that social entrepreneurialism is alive and well and can be accomplished by any and all of us. G
Gilbert -
Glad to introduce the online community to Francis Dayamba and his inspiring efforts as a student leader working to initiate positive change on the educational front in his home of Africa. I love how he is uniting many students around this vision, teaching them the power of giving back to one’s community and helping to provide opportunity to those in need.
Talk about creating leadership. Way to go Francis – I can’t wait to see where you and your new organization end up!
~ X