I Am, We Are Receives $10,000 from National Peace Corps Association

I Am, We Are (IAWA) is pleased to announce that National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) has made a generous contribution of $10,000 to directly support IAWA’s South African participants in the Morafe* Leadership Development Programme. The grant from NPCA’s Community Fund comes at a critical moment, as the COVID pandemic continues to affect young students. The recent return of South Africa to level four quarantine resulted in school program cancellations, thus affecting students' social and mental well-being.

The funds are intended for IAWA’s Morafe Leadership Development Programme, which brings together South African and American 10th graders for a unique, cross-cultural, immersive, and virtual learning experience. The curriculum focuses on personal enrichment and professional skill development by including trauma-informed counseling, career coaching, mentoring, and character development training. 

"We are grateful to NPCA for supporting our organization with this significant donation, which will ensure that we have a successful program", said Meisha Lerato Robinson, Founder and Chief Executive of Hope. "We look forward to providing support to youth during this critical moment when their development has been hampered by COVID lockdowns and quarantines. The skills we are imparting will not only help them face the challenges of the moment, but also prepare them to actualize their dreams in the future”.   

Meisha, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), used her past youth development experiences gained while based in Benin and South Africa respectively between the years 2000–02 and 2012 as a catalyst to launch IAWA in 2015 within South Africa’s Royal Bafokeng Nation where she once served. "We are excited to see the impact that being a Peace Corps Volunteer has had on Meisha," said Glenn Blumhorst, NPCA's President/CEO. 

NPCA is a mission-driven social impact organization that promotes and supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community, including current and former Peace Corps Volunteers. The Community Fund serves to amplify the global social impact of the Peace Corps community.  We are pleased to also announce that NPCA has also launched a crowdsourcing initiative to raise another $20,000 which will support the direct program expenses of the South Africa Morafe participants includes purchasing technology for the youth to participate in the program and paying salaries to Wellbeing Advisors providing monthly 1-1 counseling services to all youth.

To donate to NPCA’s crowdsourcing campaign supporting IAWA, click here.

*Morafe is a Setswana word meaning community

Left to right: Bethany Leech, International Programs Coordinator, NPCA; Meisha Lerato Robinson, Founder and Chief Executive of Hope, IAWA; and Valerie Kurka, Development Officer, NPCA.