Nature Coast grad takes on Africa

SPRING HILL - When Spring Hill native Dustin Daniels, 19, arrived at Florida State University in Tallahassee this fall, he knew he wanted to make a difference.
A 2007 graduate of Nature Coast Technical High School, Daniels had been the picture of involvement during his high school years in Brooksville. He was senior class president, a member of several national academic honor societies and was active on the school's robotics team -- not to mention playing football and basketball, running track and competing in weightlifting.
So by the time he enrolled at FSU this year with enough academic credits to be a junior, Daniels was ready to take his vocational and technical education to the next level.
Somewhere like Africa.
With only one semester of college under his belt, Daniels is already full-force into his new mission: The Global Peace Exchange, a student-run organization that will take students to Rwanda twice this summer to build a technical school for orphans.
Founded by FSU students in 2006, the organization operates under the United Nation's Alliance of Civilizations and works to provide service-based exchange opportunities for students in developing countries.
Daniels explained that from the moment he set foot on campus, he was attracted to the organization because of its student leadership.
"It's 100 percent run by (us)," he said. "I haven't seen one faculty member, and it really is our own organization."
Similar to the U.S. Peace Corps, the GPE integrates higher education and humanitarian development. It offers students volunteer opportunities in regions throughout the world, with the hope that students will return to their home countries with a more enlightened understanding of global issues.
With an initial focus on creating sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa, the group's founding members took their first trip to Ghana in May 2007, refurbishing an orphanage and distributing 2,000 antibiotic de-worming treatments to refugees at a U.N.-sponsored refugee camp in Buduburam, just outside of Accra.
"They also gave out about 20 scholarships for vocational training to ex-child soldiers," Daniels said. "That way, they can actually pursue employment and overcome the horrible things they've been through."
However, that was just the beginning. With an estimated $40,000 raised so far through official school football T-shirt sales, the group plans to send 20 volunteers to Rwanda this summer.
First, they will establish a technical-vocational school in Byimana, near the capital city of Kigali. With an aim to serve the country's estimated 820,000 orphans -- many left without families after Rwanda's mass 1994 genocide -- the school will provide free training in information technology skills, English and vocational work, such as manufacturing and computer programming.
"In Rwanda, education is (essential) in attaining economic recovery after genocide, and every job is needed," Daniels said. "This is the first of many schools we'd like to build, and we're trying to make it as nice as we possibly can."
While history books often report the genocide's death toll at 800,000 people, people in Rwanda report the numbers closer to 2 million.
The group also aims to treat 20,000 people this summer for intestinal ailments.
"It's one of the more overlooked things, but horrible thing to go through," Daniels said. "Aside from education, overall enjoyment of life should be (occurring) -- but you can't get much enjoyment of life when something as small as having worms is causing great pain, and could be cured very easily."
The group's third project is an idea submitted and created by Daniels: a recreation center, built adjacent to the technical school.
"I'm a huge believer that people can preach about stuff like healthcare until they're blue in face, but it's participation in team sports that builds camaraderie, friendship, leadership skills and character," he said. "I know these children have seen horrible things, but they're still kids, and they should have the right to be kids."
But in the long run, the group's current $40,000 is not enough to provide long-term sustainability. The students are hosting fundraisers and seeking additional donations to help reach this goal, with funding to pay teachers, add recreational equipment and more.
"Even though we have a substantial amount of money, it's really pretty insignificant when you look at the big picture of what we're trying to do," Daniels said. "Hopefully our project will (strike a chord) with people who want to help."
He is currently pursuing three majors: international affairs, political science and social work, and hopes to be included to both trips to Rwanda this summer.
For more information or to make a donation, go to www.globalpeaceexchange.org.