St. Anselm’s Helps a Deserving
Student Attend University
Izaru
Richard Benson (Ben) is a young Sudanese refugee now living in Kampala,
Uganda. He left Sudan at an early age to escape Sudan’s 20-year civil
war. He has spent most of his life in refugee camps in Uganda. He is
very bright and aspires to a university education. But he and his
family are very poor and he couldn’t afford one.
He met Doug Merrill, a parishioner, when Doug was in Kampala in 2008. Doug immediately recognized Ben’s great but unrealized potential. In Spring, 2009, Doug began to raise funds to help Ben attend Makerere University, Uganda’s premier institution of higher learning. In a few short months, the fund was sufficient to finance Ben’s first academic year. St. Anselm’s parishioners contributed about 85% of the money needed.
Ben is now studying economics and management at Makerere University. The skills he will learn and the degree he will earn will open doors currently closed to him. He will also be able to help in the recovery and development of Southern Sudan, his native country to which he hopes to eventually return. Ben is very grateful for the help he’s receiving. It will make a tremendous difference in his life.