Most students will tell you that they’re moving home for the summer and getting a job at Starbucks or the local café. Maybe some are staying in Tacoma and taking classes. But sophomore Ali Hoover is doing something different. Much different. She’s going to South Africa.
She’s not going for vacation, either. Hoover will be participating in the Innovation Institute Scholars Program, where she will be immersed in a community of the Manyeleti Region helping to create the framework of a local business.
The website for the organization that is sponsoring the program, www.thinkimpact.org, describes the experience as one that will develop strong relationships, allowing for social development.
“Ultimately, scholars and community members prototype social products and services that may be sold through social businesses, which are managed and sustained locally,” the website claims.
Hoover found out about the program through one of her dad’s coworkers, and she applied with no expectation of getting in.
“I applied on a whim,” Hoover said. “I couldn’t believe that I got an interview let alone a spot. Getting an offer is unreal.”
The program seems perfect for Hoover, a student who loves traveling and whose ultimate goal is to work in third world countries doing something with a global purpose.
“I want to work with human trafficking and elicit global economy,” Hoover said. “But being from such a wonderful and safe environment, I don’t quite understand the cause of what leads to that kind of employment.”
Even if Hoover doesn’t understand the motivation behind human trafficking quite yet, she admits that she has already had some experiences to explore this field. She lobbied a bill last summer called the Child Protection Compact Act. The bill dealt with the U.S. helping other countries to stop human trafficking.
“This issue is really under wraps and it’s a taboo,” Hoover said when asked why she wanted to have the bill pass. “These things are going on and no one really knows about it.”
With a dream set before her and her opportunities spanning the horizon, the only thing seemingly holding Hoover back is the money. In order to participate in the scholars program, Hoover must pay a $6000 tuition that will pay for travel, living expenses and any other learning material they will need in South Africa.
However, Hoover said she doesn’t have that kind of money just sitting around. So for the past couple of weeks, Hoover has been frantically trying to raise money to fund her trip.
While she sadly confesses that the university hasn’t helped much, she smiles and says that the individual support she has received has touched her in so many ways.
“The school itself has almost no funds set aside for stuff like this,” Hoover said. “[But] more personally, I have been touched by individual people who have done extra things for me like picking up extra shifts at work or hosting a BBQ for me.”
She said that it’s these little efforts that will give her 20 or 30 dollars each that will make the difference. She urges anyone, anyone at all, who would like to donate to go to www.empowered.org/ali-hoover and give five or 10 dollars. “If everyone gave little amounts, I would have enough money to go,” she said.
Although Hoover said that she feels like she’s begging for money, her gratitude has certainly not diminished.
“I’ve cried so much in the past two weeks, seeing how good people are and how giving they are,” Hoover blushes as she explains her sheer appreciation. “I can’t believe people are going out of their way to support me in my efforts. It’s so selfless.”
Even with a very difficult financial challenge ahead of her, Hoover seems overjoyed for such a wonderful opportunity to explore the world in a very unique and rewarding way. With the utmost poise and confidence, Hoover says what it means for her to have this experience at such a young age.
“It’s hard to feel that we’re old enough to do something that powerful,” she said, “but we’re reaching an age where we can make a difference and an impact. We can be a part of something meaningful.”
[PHOTO COURTESY / THINKIMPACT.ORG]