An 18-year-old high school senior from the Bronx is spending his final year of school managing his very own charity group, helping kids thousands of miles away get the education they deserve.
Max Owobu started visiting West Africa at age 15 and noticed teens his own age working street jobs to support their families instead of attending class. Fueled by a desire to help, Max used his own allowance money to sponsor a boy’s education — which led him to create the Yenko Foundation. Today, his foundation covers tuition, uniforms, meals, supplies, and rides for 10 primary school students at a joyful school in Ghana, giving those kids a bright path toward a better future.
As Max finishes high school and makes plan for his own future, he’s excited to continue helping other students in Ghana and is inspired by their energy and optimism. As he explained, “The kids are just so joyous, so enthusiastic, just so joyful to be going to school.”