The amazing story of Hilde Back proves how many ripples can change countless lives directly from a single act of generosity.
When she was a schoolteacher in Sweden, Hilde decided to sponsor one child’s education in Kenya. High school is tuition-based in many countries, and without that secondary education, poverty is often guaranteed for the child and his family for the rest of his life. The payment for Hilde’s sponsorship of Chris Mburu cost about $15 per month.
After Chris graduated from high school, he attended the University of Nairobi and then pursued a law degree from Harvard. He got a job as a U.N. Human Rights Advocate, and started a charity in order to repay the kindness originally shown him as a boy.
Mr. Mburu petitioned the Swedish embassy to find the name of his anonymous sponsor. With that name he christened his nonprofit organization, honoring the benefactor he never met.
The Hilde Back Education Fund pays tuition for deserving poor students in Kenya and since its inception has paid for more than 350 children to attend school. The support will benefit not only the student, but his impoverished family and nearby villagers.
(READ more of the story in Brad Aronson’s blog – visit HBEF to see photo of Chris and Hilde)