Comment by Ozzie_osman
7 hours ago
This is amazing. I'm curious how you provide oversight. I imagine with Amwirite there was a lot of trust, but how can you be ensure the money is actually being used properly as you add more students?
I'd imagine that in many parts of the world where money is tight, you might encounter families who just use the money for other things or all sorts of schemes.
I'd also love to learn more about the 501c3 process and how easy/hard it is.
Thanks for the comment.
Trust is key in any effort like this. I made some connections to a local church in Njombe (I'm not religious and neither is the organization, anyone is welcome) and met some of the most selfless people I've ever met (special thanks to Sister Theo) who help arrange transportation to and from the schools, and take the kids into town to get supplies, or arrange doctors visits when needed).
The money can be paid directly to the schools via western union and they send me receipts and even report cards.
Another helpful thing is that students have to take national exams in Tanzania at different stages of their education. Those scores get posted to the interent, so I can track progress that way too.
The truth is that there are many families who are working tirelessly to send their kid to school, so the motivation is already really strong in the village.
I go back every few years to check up on things, talk to the schools and give many many thanks to the nuns.
501c3 was fairly easy to set up. About as simple as an llc if I remember correctly, with a little more paperwork. I set it up in Idaho where my mom lives because I tend to move around a lot and she has a permanent address there, and the process is relatively simple in Idaho.
> 501c3 was fairly easy to set up.
Did you use any online services? Or hire a local lawyer? Care to share approximate cost?
I see you're using PayPal to take donations - any problems with that or considerations of alternatives?
I'm helping with a foreign charity and finding PayPal doesn't work with local banks.
Also very curious to know these questions, and the ongoing cost/maintenance/bookkeeping to maintain 501c3.
> how can you be ensure the money is actually being used properly as you add more students?
I suppose one way would be to pay the bills directly. I.e. the money to pay for education could be paid directly to the school, rather than giving it to the student’s family to pay the school. That could even bypass certain situations like the student and one parent being honest but the other parent trying to keep the money.
You could then keep very small tabs on progress. E.g. get notified by the school if the student is missing classes. You could then get in touch with them to see what’s going on (there could be a legitimate reason) and decide if you should keep paying or give the money to someone else.
> paid directly to the school
This is probably better, but just shifts the trust to the institution rather than the individual, which can also be hit or miss.
You keep contact with both. Pay the money to the school, but get the feedback directly from the student. The school would have to collude with the student to claim that school fees are paid when they actually aren't.
I mean sure, but at some point you have to trust someone. Take it far back enough and we could argue you also have to trust the banks used for the transaction.
The institution has more eyes on it than an individual—be it journalists, the government, concerned citizens, even the students themselves—and is thus more likely to be caught in fowl play.