GIsele KompOA OUOBA
Gisele Kompoa Ouoba is from the country of Burkina Faso in West Africa. She first established a school for orphans and children in need in December 2006. She was a baby-sitter at the time, and would use her free time to create games and coloring books for children on the streets that did not have the chance to go to school due to their family's financial hardships. Over several weeks, she experienced the great need of parents and guardians to see their children obtain an education. Seeing this need only increase, she went to the ministry in charge of children's education in Burkina Faso to obtain further information and complete administrative steps. The ministry approved her request given the increasing number of abandoned children in need of help.
Today, Gisele manages the school and continues to welcome orphans, children in need, and children who had previously abandoned their educational pursuits due to lack of financial support. All are between 3 and 19 years old. The school continues to operate thanks to noble partnerships, love, and compassion for the children.
Today, Gisele manages the school and continues to welcome orphans, children in need, and children who had previously abandoned their educational pursuits due to lack of financial support. All are between 3 and 19 years old. The school continues to operate thanks to noble partnerships, love, and compassion for the children.
Gregory Proctor
Gregory is a native of Washington, D.C. He is the oldest of three children, and he knows firsthand what it is like to grow up without a father in less than ideal circumstances.
Throughout Gregory’s life, he has worked in various roles within the fire service and healthcare profession. In September 2018, Gregory was on his first deployment in the military. He heard about a small elementary school nearby and prepared what he thought would be a one-time care package. To his surprise, when he visited the area, he learned that the Gisele School provides educational services for over 120 children. Despite the circumstances of their young lives, the children were happy, and they sang a welcome song when he entered their classroom.
Gregory was amazed at the care and attention the teachers had toward the children. He said that he felt like “a lot of little me’s were running around, and the teachers remind me of my mother.”
Over the past several years, Gregory had donated several thousand dollars to help the children optimize their learning. He has paved the way for Giseles School to become a recognized 501c non-profit organization. Gregory is a man of faith and believes wholeheartedly in Proverbs 28:7 which states that “Whoever gives to the poor will never lack.”
Throughout Gregory’s life, he has worked in various roles within the fire service and healthcare profession. In September 2018, Gregory was on his first deployment in the military. He heard about a small elementary school nearby and prepared what he thought would be a one-time care package. To his surprise, when he visited the area, he learned that the Gisele School provides educational services for over 120 children. Despite the circumstances of their young lives, the children were happy, and they sang a welcome song when he entered their classroom.
Gregory was amazed at the care and attention the teachers had toward the children. He said that he felt like “a lot of little me’s were running around, and the teachers remind me of my mother.”
Over the past several years, Gregory had donated several thousand dollars to help the children optimize their learning. He has paved the way for Giseles School to become a recognized 501c non-profit organization. Gregory is a man of faith and believes wholeheartedly in Proverbs 28:7 which states that “Whoever gives to the poor will never lack.”
ERIC BENJAMINS
Eric was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He is at the early stages of a career in biotechnology, but his professional goals ultimately revolve around service and sustainability.
He first heard about Gisele’s primary school in 2018 when a classmate from Keck Graduate Institute connected him with Gregory. Eric had previous experience with educational outreach conducted during a vaccine development research trip to Botswana in 2016 - 2017, and Gregory was seeking collaborators to support what he saw emerging from Gisele's efforts. It was immediately apparent that this was a special and particularly impactful effort to join. Education is one of Eric’s pillars for an overall intersectional approach to social justice (with the others being healthcare, environment, opportunity, and equality), so he immediately jumped at the chance to assist with Gisele’s mission to educate and nourish students that would otherwise have no alternative.
His primary contributions to the school involve strategic and financial support to cover the costs of teacher’s salaries, secondary school fees for students that have graduated from Gisele’s program, and food for the students as-needed during the COVID-19 crisis. In his own words, “when you learn about the unjustifiable adversity in Burkina Faso, see the amount of effort that Gisele has put into the school despite hardships, and then see the outcomes of her work – both in the form of the student’s positive spirits as well as successful advancement to the next level of schooling, then acting on opportunities to support becomes simply the right thing to do.” He plans to be involved in the school indefinitely, and is devoted to ensuring that there is never an issue due to a lack of resources.
He first heard about Gisele’s primary school in 2018 when a classmate from Keck Graduate Institute connected him with Gregory. Eric had previous experience with educational outreach conducted during a vaccine development research trip to Botswana in 2016 - 2017, and Gregory was seeking collaborators to support what he saw emerging from Gisele's efforts. It was immediately apparent that this was a special and particularly impactful effort to join. Education is one of Eric’s pillars for an overall intersectional approach to social justice (with the others being healthcare, environment, opportunity, and equality), so he immediately jumped at the chance to assist with Gisele’s mission to educate and nourish students that would otherwise have no alternative.
His primary contributions to the school involve strategic and financial support to cover the costs of teacher’s salaries, secondary school fees for students that have graduated from Gisele’s program, and food for the students as-needed during the COVID-19 crisis. In his own words, “when you learn about the unjustifiable adversity in Burkina Faso, see the amount of effort that Gisele has put into the school despite hardships, and then see the outcomes of her work – both in the form of the student’s positive spirits as well as successful advancement to the next level of schooling, then acting on opportunities to support becomes simply the right thing to do.” He plans to be involved in the school indefinitely, and is devoted to ensuring that there is never an issue due to a lack of resources.
Wes Siler
Wes lives in Florida with his wife Katherine and two kids Noah and Sammy (ages 3 and 5).
Wes was deployed to Africa when he first met Gregory and learned about Gisele's School. Gregory was about to return home to the United States and needed help to continue supporting the orphanage. Wes immediately got involved and helped Gregory set up a website to fundraise for the effort.
During his deployment Wes led multiple volunteer visits to Gisele School and raised money to support the orphanage. He often said that volunteering gave him something proactive to do in his spare time. "So many nights I was lonely. I missed my wife and kids and I wanted to be at home taking care of them...and then one day I thought, why not use my time out here to take care of the kids right in front of me?"
Wes returned from Africa and since then he has led fundraising for the effort. He has often said that connecting his fellow service-members and friends to the orphanage has been one of his best experiences.
"That and the singing...I'll never forget my last day volunteering out there. I paused before leaving the school for the last time. And since then the sound of those kids innocently singing has never left my ears."
Wes was deployed to Africa when he first met Gregory and learned about Gisele's School. Gregory was about to return home to the United States and needed help to continue supporting the orphanage. Wes immediately got involved and helped Gregory set up a website to fundraise for the effort.
During his deployment Wes led multiple volunteer visits to Gisele School and raised money to support the orphanage. He often said that volunteering gave him something proactive to do in his spare time. "So many nights I was lonely. I missed my wife and kids and I wanted to be at home taking care of them...and then one day I thought, why not use my time out here to take care of the kids right in front of me?"
Wes returned from Africa and since then he has led fundraising for the effort. He has often said that connecting his fellow service-members and friends to the orphanage has been one of his best experiences.
"That and the singing...I'll never forget my last day volunteering out there. I paused before leaving the school for the last time. And since then the sound of those kids innocently singing has never left my ears."
Dr. Jean-Gabriel
Jean-Gabriel currently lives in Philadelphia where he is completing training as an emergency medicine physician. He was previously in Florida where he worked as a flight surgeon.
Jean-Gabriel was deployed to Africa where he met Wes, and immediately started working with him using his native French language skills to aid in communicating with the school.
Since returning from deployment, he has continued to interact with and interpret communication to and from the school, and remains continually driven by the mission to support Gisele and her efforts to provide education to those who would otherwise not have that chance.
Jean-Gabriel was deployed to Africa where he met Wes, and immediately started working with him using his native French language skills to aid in communicating with the school.
Since returning from deployment, he has continued to interact with and interpret communication to and from the school, and remains continually driven by the mission to support Gisele and her efforts to provide education to those who would otherwise not have that chance.