Donations for South Sudan 2017

Click here to watch a news clip about our story on ABC Action News
Click here to read a news article about our story in the Old NE Journal
   My name is Meira Kowalski, and I am a freshman attending St. Petersburg High School in the International Baccalaureate Program. Last year, I did a history project in school about the Lost Boys of Sudan, and I was fortunate enough to meet Joseph Deng.  (Click here to watch this documentary.) Joseph was a Lost Boy himself, and he now lives in New Port Richey, Florida as a nurse. He started his own 501c3 non-profit organization in 2008 that brings medical supplies annually to those in need in Southern Sudan. His story inspired me, so for the second year in a row, I am planning on holding a medicine drive to collect over the counter medicine for Joseph's charity throughout my neighborhood and other facilities I am associated with.
       Last year, we were able to accomplish great things with this medicine drive and GoFundMe page. I was able to raise over $3,000, which was double my initial goal. Also, I collected around 150 pounds of over the counter medicine at the medicine drive I held at my middle school, Shorecrest Preparatory School. All of these supplies and this money was able to save the lives of thousands of sick, innocent South Sudanese citizens. Medicine that we here take for granted goes such a long way in third world countries, like South Sudan, where there is no access to any medical supplies.
     Joseph, however, has to use his own money every year to send all of the medicine over to Southern Sudan. He said that he spends $1,300-$2,000 of his own money just to ship the boxes over there. I, with the help of my friend Jacqui Foronda, would once again like to help cover the costs of these packages so Joseph doesn't have to use his own money. One box under 50 pounds costs $150, and any box over 50 pounds costs $200. He leaves for South Sudan between September and October. Any extra donations will be contributed to the organization for extra medicine to bring over and towards helping to build a clinic in South Sudan. Please help and donate to this cause so that thousands of people can get the medical attention they need and live to see another day. Thank you!

Click here to scroll through pictures of Joseph's trip last year.