Hi my name is Lauren Bogle, and in 2018, I began my involvement with Mako Children’s Fund - a nonprofit that protects and empowers vulnerable children in rural Ghana. I wanted to help kids my age in other parts of the world. Along the way, I’ve gained perspective, purpose, and responsibility to use my resources and abilities for the good of others.
In fifth grade, my friend Audrey and I organized a crayon drive during one of our school’s kindness awareness days, marking the start of our contributions.
We collected over FIFTY pounds of crayons and made custom colors and fun shapes out of old and worn down crayons. While crayons can seem like something that most students and schools have access to, the kids at Mako didn't have anything to color with and they were so excited to make art and write with our crayons.
The following year, in 2019, we expanded our efforts by collecting shoes to support and help the children who didn't have shoes or that would wear shoes that were too small for them. We collected over 200 pairs and were able to get the kids new shoes to wear.
These early initiatives were small but meaningful steps toward making a difference.
Over the summer this year, I continued my annual support and volunteer efforts with Mako. This time, my focus was on girls’ empowerment. I started by learning more about the hard realities that most girls and women in rural Ghana face. With the help of Mako’s leadership team, I co-hosted a Zoom discussion with Biyador and Sefakor, two girls in Mako programming, alongside Cassie and Theresah, two of Mako’s leaders. We all brought questions that we wanted to ask one another, and it was a really meaningful interaction.
We talked about our goals, and what it’s like to be a teenager. As we shared our experiences, the conversations got deeper, and we realized something important:
even though our challenges are different, they show how much we all have in common as people, even if it's as little as getting nervous to speak in front of your class. I was so nervous to meet the girls but once I did, they made me feel very comfortable - just one of the girls! All of us shared experiences dealing with social pressure and self-criticism. We laughed at the realization that we all deal with reaching beauty standards. I found when we shared openly and honestly about our hopes, wishes and fears, we connected as people that were not so different after all. Biyador and Sefakor shared how Mako has helped them in so many ways. For example, it has given the girls a better chance at an education and a chance to grow up more safely. Mako has given many vulnerable girls in rural Ghana access to opportunities that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. I felt lucky and proud to be a part of their lives.
This experience has taught me not to take the basics in life for granted. Being able to get a new perspective on growing up in a different country and culture drives me to want to learn more about other cultures. I’ve realized that even small, kind actions like giving someone crayons, shoes, or even just spending time with them can bring a lot of happiness and make a big difference in somebody's life.
How to Support Mako Children
Every dollar counts in providing continuous care for our kids. Become a member of our EveryChild and Scholar Collectives, make a one-time donation or get involved as a volunteer or board member today.
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