Dreams for Youth Scholarship Program Stories of Success
Kalifa Davy: Helping My Sisters in the Congo
Starting in 2011, United Way of Long Island partnered with the Long Island Women’s Fund to provide community service scholarships of $1,000 each to the Shapiro-McCormick Young Woman Leaders. The community service scholarships funded through the Dreams for Youth Scholarship Fund provide the young women with opportunities to help their respective community service organizations. The Shapiro-McCormick Young Woman Leader Award recognizes an exceptional young woman who:
- Advocates for girls within her school or community
- Makes a difference in the lives of young women, through philanthropy, advocacy, or other community service efforts
- Has faced obstacles and taken risks to pursue her goals despite the views of others
- Has a vision beyond her years and brought others to that vision
- Shows leadership and promise as a future leader for women’s causes
Kalifa's Project: Helping My Sisters in the Congo
Kalifa’s project is to bring awareness to the Long Island community about the atrocities occurring in the Congo specifically the brutal rapes of women and girls. Her goal is to provide several presentations to religious organizations, community organizations and schools.
Additionally, Kalifa will be travelling with a camera crew to create a documentary film about the topic. It is her intent to create a website and start an online petition to be sent to the United Nations.
Kalifa will be working with the Girl Scouts of Nassau County on her project.