Keyed Into Philanthropy

A Rwandan proverb declares that “help from abroad always comes when the rain has stopped.” Severna Park High School sophomore Izzy Maly wants to bring help from abroad, but her solution is permanent and independent of the forecast.

As the lieutenant governor of Division 4A of the Capital District Key Club, the high school branch of Kiwanis Club, Izzy works with the nine other Key Clubs in Anne Arundel County. Her current project is a raffle fundraiser to support construction at a school in Rwanda, a landlocked country in Africa.

A few years ago, Izzy and her family traveled to multiple countries in Africa, witnessing both beauty and poverty as they sought to learn more about the area’s culture and landscapes.

“I experienced walking through the slums — two in Nairobi, Kenya — and seeing orphanages,” Izzy said. “I loved connecting with the children who were positive even through their circumstances. One of my favorite memories was playing soccer with some other children my age on the dirt road, with a ball made from trash. The children were so sweet and hopeful, yet they weren't provided an opportunity to receive an education and have a successful future. They didn't realize what they weren't receiving: a chance for a better future, one where they didn't have to live in a tin room with a fabric roof.”

She knew she wanted to use her position as Key Club lieutenant governor to help children facing similar circumstances. First, she contacted a small school in Rwanda, which works to help children escape their cycle of poverty by providing them the opportunity to attend school.

“The owner and I discussed where they needed help, and I learned that many girls have to miss school every month since the culture only allows them to go through their menstruation if they have a separate girls' bathroom, which they don't have the funding for,” Izzy said. “This makes it so much harder for girls to receive an equal education and feel accepted at school while they have a lack of resources. I discovered that by raising $15,000, I could fund this construction for them.”

After doing research, she determined that a raffle would be the best way to raise money. She called, emailed and visited local businesses to ask for donations. As of early February, she has raised about $6,500 in donations and prizes.

The Rwanda school, Izzy said, is run by Care and Help Child Organization, founded by Gloria Gatsinzi, who has worked with UNICEF in the past.

“Helping doesn’t have limits,” Gatsinzi said in a statement shared on the organization’s website. “All it requires is a big heart, and what might seem a luxury to you could be a necessity for someone else.”

Elizabeth Meadows, the Severna Park High School Key Club advisor and a math teacher, is impressed by Izzy’s big heart and the sophomore’s level of advocacy as the Key Club lieutenant governor. As a freshman, Izzy approached Meadows upon learning that there was a need for someone to take over a leadership role within the club.

“Izzy is only the second student in my 15 or so years advising SPHS Key Club that has been in a leadership role in the division, and that student was a senior,” Meadows said. “So far, Izzy has taken on the role with ease! She communicates regularly and motivates us to participate in new, exciting projects. She came up with the Rwanda raffle and single-handedly collected over 40 prizes. We are so proud of all of her hard work.”

Severna Park’s Key Club and the other nine Anne Arundel County schools continue to sell raffle tickets and plan to hold a drawing to determine the winner around March 21.

Rain or shine, the new school in Rwanda will bring education to underserved kids.

“I look forward to achieving this goal and being able to see all of the gleaming children's faces when they find out that they will have this safe space,” Izzy said.

Donations can be made through the Anne Arundel County Public Schools online payments portal.