"ACTL has sponsored Kalkidan for the last five years, from kindergarten through grade five in Addis, Ethiopia. She was one of our youngest recipients.  Her father works as a bellman at night and in the information technology field during the day to provide for his wife and two daughters.  Most of his money went to pay for his older daughter’s tuition, but Kalkidan qualified to attend a good school, and ACTL was proud to sponsor her.  In the photo, she is holding her first assignment from kindergarten, and now as a fifth grader she tells us that her her favorite subject is technology, and her favorite book is Lejenet. She would like to be an inventor when she is older."

Kalkidan - Ethiopia

"Luuale Lillian is from a small village in Kenya. She is from a family of six children. Luuale explained that they often had difficulty paying for basic needs. Her father was a farmer who had struggled to raise the funds to pay for Luuale’s secondary level schooling. Prior to her death, Dr. Jennifer Wilson, ACTL’s founder, approved Luuale’s first grant. ACTL was proud to support Luuale Lillian throughout her secondary school years.

Luuale always planned to reduce the level of poverty in her community by promoting education for girls and children. She explained that there was a shortage of qualified science teachers in her village. Lualle Lillian graduated with her Bachelor of Science in December 2015. She began teaching in a secondary school in the country and began nurturing girls to become responsible citizens.

ACTL has been able to continue to support Luuale as she pursues her Master’s degree in education which she began in January 2018. She continues to learn new information about current environmental problems and mathematics which she brings back to her classroom and to her students."

Luuale Lillian- Kenya

"ACTL sponsored Patience in 9th grade. She is the oldest of three siblings. Her father passed away in 2008 and her mother is ill and struggles to get her to school. Patience studied animal and environmental protections. She visited a primary school as part of a mentorship program where she taught students the importance of keeping a clean environment. On her holidays from school she also organized an estate clean up activity and planted over 100 trees which were donated by local farmers at her request. Patience is a student who loves learning and giving back to her community and family."

Patience – Kenya

"ACTL supported Barbara for three years as she finished medical school. Barbara is the eldest of four children. Her father died of AIDS in 2000, and her mother is the sole provider for the family. Barbara helped others and gave back throughout medical school. She conducted a Facebook Campaign Against A Dirty City and started a website that gave information to the public on dealing with sexually abused women.  Barbara attended the global health care summit in Berlin before she began her last school year. There she focused on the plight of refugees on the European continent.  She was able to witness firsthand the situation of the refugees in Germany and discuss the challenges and possible solutions to some of the problems that were emerging with the influx of asylum seekers. Barbara graduated in December 2015. She scored second highest in her class on her exams. After school Barbara was selected to join Tenwik Mission Hospital for her internship.

“I can never tire of emphasizing what a great deal A Chance Through Literacy played in my life, and I hope that soon I will be able to impact other people’s lives the way you did mine. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Dr. Barbara Odac

Barbara – Kenya

Lidiya is a recipient from Ethiopia who we support along with her sister Meklit. Like all of our recipients she is very excited to have the opportunity that ACTL provides her. When Lidiya received her grant, she wrote to us, “This year for me was the beginning of a lifetime because it may be funny, but this year was the year that I finally grew up. I know myself, where I belongand where I am going.

"This year, I learned strength, honesty, fighting for what you want and also being hard working. Now as you know I am an 11th grade student and I am a social studies student and I will study law when I get to the university and I know I will succeed. All you go to do is to believe in yourself. That’s all if you do that you can pass any obstacles in your life with passion and success. That’s all for me this year and I will try hard next year in 12th grade and get high results. Thank you for everything, God bless you a lot. From Lidiya”. 

With the help of ACTL’s grant she was able to focus on her studies and pass her exams. She was accepted into University where she plans to focus on social studies and study law in order to help others."

Julie Herzigova