By Summer (Crick) Aldridge '14 Director of Alumni Relations
Class Notes
Some would say that after completing 11 mission trips to Haiti, one's urge to help others might be fulfilled. For Brian Hall '87, that was just the beginning. Following his final mission trip to Haiti where he had been aiding earthquake rebuild efforts, Brian was still passionate about helping others, but ready for a change. He felt led by God to help with water and water storage systems in sub-Saharan Africa after learning that on average, women there walk 3.1 miles per day to get clean water. "Children often miss school to help their mothers get the family clean water," Brian explained. "And if they don't miss school for that reason, they miss because they don't have clean water to bathe in, and they're too embarrassed to go to school."
22 IN 2022 VILLAGES
How one Kentucky Wesleyan alumnus is changing lives in Africa, one well at a time
Brian found a contact in Memphis, Tenn., who helped him contact leadership in Africa. He raised $8,000 in 2016 for the first wells and sent the funds to Africa, hopped on a plane and prayed that he hadn't been swindled. "I met my new friends at the airport and together, we were able to drill one well and build two 10,000 liter storage tanks, bringing clean water to about 5,000 people," Brian remembered. From there, the momentum grew. "The next year, we did three wells, followed by five, then seven and then 14 in 2021." In 2020, after a social media push from Brian's former classmate LaDonna Koebel '89, Kentucky Wesleyan alumni got involved in Brian's efforts. Alumni contributed 95% of the funds raised for the well placed in the village of Tingoli in 2020, and then fully funded the well placed in Adupe in 2021. Brian said it means the world to have the support of his fellow alumni. "To know there are people in the United States – people from Kentucky Wesleyan College – supporting this effort means more than I could ever say," Brian shared. Going forward, Brian's dream is that various affinity groups from the College will band together and each adopt a village. "I'd love to see a Sigma Nu-sponsored village, and I know the Kappa Deltas could join to adopt one. It would be great to see one adopted by the soccer team, too." Continues on page 32
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Pillars
