Can one person make a difference? Yes they can!
An oldie but a goodie that goes to show you, you don’t have to be rich and powerful to make a difference.
Lidia Schaefer, a manicurist, sold her house and car and set aside tips and part of her salary to raise money to build a school.
Born in northern Ethiopia, in the village of Feres Mai, Schaefer moved to United States in the mid-1970s. In the 90’s after a visit to her birth place she promised the children that she would build them a school. This promise she made after she realized children were walking three hours each way to attend classes held not in a school, but under a tree.
Schaefer, set aside some of her own money. She received monetary donations, doors and windows from her friends and clients. However, with all the help she received, Schaefer realized that it still was not enough, so the mother of 2 sold her house and car. In the end she raised over $250,000 and her school was built.
Today, nearly 1,500 students are educated in the school, which boasts an eight-building campus with 16 classrooms, a science lab and library. Schaefer still sets aside tips and wages to support school.
The effort of one person started a chain reaction which resulted in many more schools being built.