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NSHSS James Lewis Global Leader Scholarship

Prompt

Application Requirements:

  • Prompt response of 500-800 words to the following question:
    • Mr. Lewis has an overriding philosophy: "The future of our planet depends on how we prepare the world's youth. Let them dream, explore and achieve for the betterment of themselves and the global community." How do you embody this philosophy? Which of Mr. Lewis's values do you best embody and demonstrate? Please provide specific examples of each.
  • Pictures/videos/media showing your leadership in action (optional)
  • Color headshot suitable for website posting 
  • Academic resume
  • Current Transcript (can be official or unofficial)
  • Educator recommendation letter

Prompt Response

About three years ago, I learned from a mentor and friend about the challenges of access to clean water for the Maasai tribe in Monduli District, Tanzania. It was shocking to learn that the women and children walk 9 hours daily during the dry season to fetch water daily. Moved by this story, we decided to brainstorm ways to help. Thanks to my friend's anecdote, we were catapulted into a project that could help provide clean and accessible water for the 30,000+ Maasai living in Arusha's Monduli district. In January 2021, my younger brother and I fundraised $20,000 for the first of many rainwater harvesting units. We visited the site on-ground in December, and the 100,000 liter unit was finally deployed in July 2022.

During the following year, I talked to about twelve high school students and their families about this problem and how they could help. Eventually, six students from two high schools across the country joined the mission to accompany me in fund-raising and executing on-ground research into the impact of the initially installed rainwater harvesting unit. The final team members shared the same dream as me to combat water scarcity across the Monduli District. In the months leading up to our second on-ground investigation, we raised another $30,000 for three rainwater harvesting units. In addition to fundraising, I initiated connections with several other organizations worldwide. 

We collaborated with five diverse international organizations to create a meaningful impact. Each organization brought unique strengths, resources, and perspectives, enriching the project. For instance, Project FUEL provided valuable insights into community engagement strategies. Karimu Foundation's long-standing experience in water projects in Tanzania helped us understand the technical nuances of installing rainwater harvesting units. The Lions Club from Tanzania was instrumental in facilitating our ground-level operations. Engineers Without Borders from Tel Aviv contributed with their technical expertise and guidance on proposed water solutions. Maji Wells executed the project locally with their leader Mbayani Tayai. 

In December 2022, our team hit the ground running. As a group of six high school students, we conducted 1 hour long 40+ interviews with Maasai community members representing 500+ Maasai on the impact of the rainwater harvesting unit. The results have been astonishing for 1500+ Maasai: Due to the proximity of the rainwater harvesting unit, the average time of walking to water was reduced by more than 7 hours per day. The reduction in time allows community members to engage in many social, educational, and economic activities. The average attendance and enrollment in local schools doubled for children due to easy access to sanitation and water. For adults, they are re-investing time saved in farming, jewelry making, and other economic activities resulting in more income.

In tandem with the research through the interviews, we also initiated another three rainwater harvesting units within the district, each with its unique purpose of helping an additional 4500+ Maasai. The units were completed in February 2023. The next phase consists of designing and deploying smaller 2500-5000 liter water harvesting units within households, and low-cost water filtration systems for Maasai who live further away from available water harvesting units.

Access to clean water is a global crisis for humanity. Based on the WHO (World Health Organization), 1 in 3 people (2.2 Billion) globally don't have access to clean water. This is further exacerbated by a significant disparity in daily consumption (i.e., US daily consumption of 300+ liters/person/day vs. 22 liters/person/day for a Maasai in Tanzania). I am keen to continue working on this challenge and have started the journey in a tiny corner of our planet with the Maasai community. I want to continue leading young minds and fostering an environment that nurtures growth, creativity, and problem-solving focused on our planet's most challenging problems. We worked towards improving a community and embodied Mr. Lewis's philosophy by enriching our capacities. The youth, when empowered, become catalysts for meaningful change in the global community.

TODO

  • Prompt response ✅ 2023-08-11
  • Pictures, Videos, Media ✅ 2023-08-11
  • Color Headshot ✅ 2023-08-11
  • Academic Resume ✅ 2023-08-11
  • Current Transcript ✅ 2023-08-11
  • Educator Recommendation Letter ✅ 2023-08-11