Area Family Shows It Takes More Than One Village To Educate A Child

Arlington, Virginia picks up a namesake in Africa that could change hundreds of lives.

It's all thanks to a family who believes it takes more than one village to educate a child.

Because of the family's efforts, kids in one Arlington fifth-grade classroom can suddenly see education through a long-range lens.

Providing a different perspective is what retired teacher Cynthia Margeson is trying to do. Margeson spent a month teaching in Africa and she is going back next spring to continue the lesson she is currently giving her students.

One such place in need of help is Uganda, Africa. For this country one village of ten-thousand people, there is only one hundred people who have finished high school.

In fact a year of class for one student can wipe out an entire family's annual income making school a distant dream unless hope comes from afar. And hope did thanks to John Wanda and his family, who are Uganda immigrants. "Having come here, we had to help the kids back in the village," John said.

John and his family left their African village eight years ago thanks to a winning immigration lottery ticket. "We didn't know how things would turn out...we didn't know anyone," Joyce Wanda said.

She and John put their three kids into Arlington schools and said, 'Imagine if Uganda had something like this.'"

Now, 75-thousand-dollars later; money brought about from fundraising by Arlington school kids and Arlington families, Uganda does have a school like the one the Wanda's children attend. "It's called the Arlington Academy of Hope, and it's named after the Arlington community here," John said.

The Wanda family unveiled the school this summer, their efforts are giving 160 kids a chance to learn for free.

In addition, The Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda would like to raise enough money to help 500 village kids, the cost of sending one child to school for one semester is about $45.

For more information about the school and to learn more on this story click the related link to the left of this story, and click "Play Video" to view 9 News' Emily Schmidt's full report.