Youth Scholarships
Michelle Sylvester Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Michele Sylvester Memorial Scholarship Fund (MSS) was founded in 1993 in memory of Peace Corps Volunteer Michele Sylvester whose life was abruptly ended in an automobileaccident. Michele was committed to girls' education in Senegal. Initially, the scholarship was designed to benefit two village-based girls, but thanks to friends and families of Peace Corps Senegal, the number of recipients has grown.
Last year alone, we sent 62 middle-school girls to school who otherwise would be at home or in the work force. These girls live throughout Senegal, some in urban areas, but most in rural villages that receive no NGO or outside attention.
The screening process is rigorous to ensure that recipients truly need the help. First, a group of girls is identified by teachers and principals as 'gifted and motivate students.' Then they write essays about their goals and are interviewed by a volunteer working with SeneGAD. This volunteer visits the student's house and interviews the family. These interviews are to establish whether the girl has our three main criteria:
- 1 - wants to remain in school
- 2 - has high academic potential
- 3 - family lacks the funds and/or belief in girls' education
Recently, we've added a follow-up program to ensure these girls are kept active and motivated in school. Also, we have started tracking receipts to guarantee that the money is spent only on school supplies. Members of SeneGAD get phone calls from participants years after the program proudly declaring that they've passed the BAC! We are constantly looking for ways to expand this program.
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