The Break Through In an African Family

f you were born to a poor family in Burkina Faso, a country that ranks 7th from last in the scale for human development in the world, how do you advance to a better life? In this family, you eat millet three times a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year. There are only poor schools with almost no supplies. No libraries, no computers and the nearest internet is 300 miles, on a rough dusty road, from your village.
The nearest good high school is 300 miles away and would cost 50 US dollars a month to go there. Since the family only makes 800 dollars a year, it would be an enormous burden on the family.

Let me tell you how one young man went from these conditions to an international student and finally to a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, one of the premier scholarships in the world. His life story is just beginning, but he is on his way to making a difference in this world and especially for his home country, Burkina Faso.
His name is Hamadoun Barry. That is his first name but since he is the first born and has to take a new name which is the custom in his country, his name is now Nassirou Barry, for short we call him Nass.

I first met Nass when I went to Wichita Kansas where our Rotary District Scholarship Committee was meeting to select an Ambassadorial Scholar. The scholarship provides 25,000 dollars to the winner to go to practically any country in the world and study. The scholarship is not only for study but to travel, speak at Rotary Clubs and become an Ambassador of good will and friendship. They are helped in this matter by being welcomed wherever they go by the network of Rotary Clubs throughout the world.
So how did Nass do it?

He was a good student. He warmed up to his teachers and expressed an intellect noticed by his teachers. He became so admired by his teachers that they helped him to go to better schools. He stayed and was cared for by teacher's families.  Then his big break came when the United States Peace Corp Volunteers showed up. They came to teach English in the schools. Nass was with the local teachers who were on hand to greet the Peace Corp Volunteers. He worked his same magic on them. Can I wash your clothes? Do you want help bargaining for food? Can I clean your house? Can I cook for you? Anyway he could help them, he did. He became like a son to them.

To one Peace Corp Volunteer, he became the good son. Pat is her name and she promised Nass when she returned to the United States and when he graduated from high school she would try to bring him to the United States as an International Student. She did and provided everything, all passport costs, air ticket, room and board and all fees to Wichita State University. WSU is one of the finest business schools in the United States. In 2010-11, Nass will start his Ambassadorial Scholarship. He will be studying probably in France to get an advanced accounting degree. Beyond his Master degree, he wants to get his PHD in Accounting, which will enable his to teach at the College level in Burkina Faso. That is the only part of his plan, he hasn't got worked out. I believe he will find a way to complete his dream.

Ambassadorial Scholars have compelling resumes. They have a world view of how things work and how they should work. I have known Ambassadorial Scholars that worked on copyright infringements in China, CNN News, the Clinton Initiative and the reunification of the Korean peninsula. They see things of immediate and far reaching concerns.

If Nass meets his goals, he will return to Burkina Faso as a college Professor. In Burkina Faso, college professors get three months off break during the year. He will use that time to go to the most remote village and work for a NGO, nonprofit organization or on his own  teach the skills he used, to make a break through for those poor families. He will do that knowing the customs and traditions of the people which will increase his effectiveness. He will teach free enterprise. He will teach them to use their own imagination to start a business. He will cause a change in the families of Burkina Faso.
Nass will be the example that will kindle people's imagination that they too, can follow their dreams.