Dave Boon, EO co-founder, was in Nepal in November 2014, to visit some orphanages and rural schools that his Rotary Club had been supporting. The support of these schools and orphanages has led to an urgent new challenge. Many of the students and orphans have done well enough in school to go on to college. But how can they go?

As Dave explains, ” I was visiting one of the orphanages and was talking to Manju a 17 year old girl who has lived in the orphanage for 10 years. I asked her how I could help her. She started to cry, and then told me she had always had a dream. That dream was to go to college. I told her that was a great dream to have and asked why are you crying? She replied that she was an orphan and had no way to pay for college and that dream would never come true.” In Nepal, most college tuition costs ~$300 – $1,000 USD per year (~$25 – $90/month) for a four year degree.

All I could think of was that I spend that much on coffee each year. On the spot, June and I committed to paying her college education. Then I looked around and thought, “Who will help send the other orphans to college?” And the idea of Empowering Opportunities was born. There are many other marginalized youth, students in rural areas and orphans that need your help. Want to join us and make a HUGE difference in a child’s life by giving them the opportunity to succeed through education?