January 2024 Live It Fund Recipients
“Aulas abiertas: Educadores transformadores”/“Open classrooms: Transformative educators”
Nibia Becarra Santillan ‘25
The Aulas Abiertas Pilot mainly focused on building connections with teachers and leadership at the school in order to better understand their current role as mentors for low-income high school student, as well as assess their interest in building specific mentoring skills.
Conservation and Habitat Management of the China Northeast Tigers
Rosie Bai ‘27
Conservation and Management of the China Northeast Tiger Habitats is an investigation of human-wildlife conflicts in Northeast China, centering the impacts of Dunhua Communities.
Thirteen Seed of Hope
Makol Deng Chuol ‘27
“Seed of hope, stories of hope” Empowering Young Refugees in Kakuma”
Teaching is not enough, empowering is not enough, showing love is but not enough.
Located in Northwest of Kenya, Kakuma Refugee Camp, “Stories of hope ” is a transformative educational initiative dedicated to empowering young souls amidst the trials of displacement. As the founder and educator, my journey began with a humble desire to make a difference. From teaching children with limited exposure, I have evolved into a passionate advocate for their education, driven by the simple yet profound philosophy: Learn, then teach two others.
This project aims to provide hope to the resilient youth within the camp, where access to education often takes a backseat amidst adversity. With a dedicated group of 16 eager learners, I foster an environment of mutual learning and growth, to overcome barriers, to unlock boundless opportunities. Through the exchange of knowledge and unwavering support, I seek to equip these young minds with the wings of education, enabling them to soar beyond the confines of the refugee camp and embrace a future filled with promise and certainty.
The Legacy of Water
Alan Schulz Diaz ‘25
“The legacy of a water” is a series of workshops, connecting academia, policy makers and community advocates around the issue of water insecurity in Turbaco (Colombia).
Somali Youth coding bootcamp
Ridwan Osman ‘26
I launched the “Somali Youth Coding Bootcamp,” the first program of its kind in my community because I recognized the gap in STEM education within the local Somali Community. I created the “Somali Youth Coding Bootcamp,” a program designed to provide young Somali people in my hometown of Hopkins, Minnesota. It’s an open and approachable introduction to programming, and I led students in their exploration of Python programming. I am incredibly grateful for the generous $2,000 grant from Macalester’s Live It Fund, which played a crucial role in making this initiative a reality. This initiative not only equips youth with valuable coding skills but also emphasizes the transformative power of inclusive STEM education, and I remain committed to its continued development and expansion.
EduHealth: Nurturing Healthy Lives in Siaya
Christine Oduor ‘25
Edu Health Siaya is a project that aims to promote health education in Siaya County, with the goal of improving the health of the people. My J-term Liv It Fund project was the first step towards achieving this long-term goal. It involved collecting data and connecting with the community to understand their current situation from their perspectives. This information will be used in the next phase to develop health education frameworks that can increase preventative measures and improve people’s health.
Tibetan Tongues: Ensuring Language Survival
Xiaoyu Ma ‘25 Terry Zhang ‘26
Tibetan Tongues is a program based on community exchange and cultural learning, and we have built a long-term relationship with Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota (TAFM) as we delve deeper into understanding the people of the Tibetan community in Minnesota and learning about their culture to help make this community a better place.