are used in prostitution, as child soldiers, or die outright from disease, starvation, or murder," he said. "I was once an orphan myself; it motivated me to help those who have been left behind." His desire to help led to the formation of the Marie Mambu Makaya Foundation, named in honor of Revell's late mother. Today, the Foundation is actively raising money to build its first orphanage in Mbanza-Ngungu, a territory in the BasCongo province. A parcel of land has been donated by Dr. Abel Leon Kalambayi wa Kabongo and his wife Beatrice Nzeba Kalambayi. "The location is a perfect mix of traditional and urban development," said Revell, who grew up in the nearby seaport of Matadi. "It will be a great place for the kids." Providing funds can be raised, Revell hopes to start building in the year 2016. "We want everything that the children might need to be on the site," Revell said. The entire compound will be fenced in and securely protected. It will include not only residency housing for the children and their caretakers, but also a school, administration building, a playground, fruit and vegetable gardens and a soccer field. Revell is excited about the progress that the Foundation has made recently, but admits that reaching this stage was time consuming and difficult. "Getting a tax-exemption status from the U.S. government was one of the hardest things we've had to do thus far — that alone took over two years. Raising money has also been challenging and time consuming." In the beginning, profits for the Foundation came solely from the Revell family. Even today, most of Makaya's time and money are put toward making his dreams for the Foundation become a reality. He travels to fundraise, and has to balance the Foundation's schedule in addition to being a full-time YCP student. When asked what keeps him going on the days he feels most exhausted, he said, "That's simple: the children. The idea that we are doing something right, and the payoff I believe we will see at the end, is what keeps me energized. The children are the future of the Congo; they need better protection, and a better education." Revell considers education to be a foremost priority in his own life, and credits much of his success to his major in International Relations and the time he has spent at York College. "I've learned
so much here. This major has [prepared] and will continue to prepare me for the work I wish to do in the future – working in international organizations to benefit the people in the world who are most in need." He originally transferred to YCP from HACC, as he felt that our campus could provide a more varied education for the price of tuition. "I can't imagine anywhere else where the quality of instruction is combined with individual attention and support as much as it is here at York," Revell said. "I also want to specifically mention three of my Political Science professors. Dr. John Altman has been a very supportive influence on me. He has many valuable contacts in the field, and is generous about making those contacts available. Dr. Xaiofei Li has been very affirming and helped me to set my sights high when looking at graduate schools. Her encouraging teaching methods have been a tremendous confidence builder. And finally, Dr. Kwasi Sarfo has been very helpful to me. It was comforting to have an advisor who was a fellow African, and he helped me to become more comfortable in my classes. I can honestly say that transferring here was the best decision I could have made, especially since I wanted to stay local and continue to help my aging parents." While Revell made the choice to obtain his undergraduate degree close to home, he is prepared to travel out of state to receive his master's degree. He speaks very confidently about his future endeavors. "For the time being I am
going to continue in school. I would like to earn my master's degree in International Relations. I also want to begin working for an international organization that brings aid and relief to third-world countries. And I will continue, as President of the Marie Mambu Makaya Foundation, to direct operations so that within the next couple of years we will be able to open the doors of the orphanage and take in children."
"The children are the future of the Congo; they need better protection, and a better education." Makaya Revell '15
WEB EXCLUSIVE
Go to www.ycp.edu and listen to Makaya speak about his extraordinary experiences. To learn more about the Foundation, or to donate, visit makayafoundation.org. York College Magazine • WINTER 2014-2015 | 17