HE STARTED WITH HIS WEEKLY ALLOWANCE — NOW HIS NONPROFIT IS HELPING CHILDREN IN GHANA GO TO SCHOOL

At 15, Max Owobu noticed something that stayed with him long after his summer visits to Ghana: children his own age were working in shops and selling goods to help their families, instead of spending their days in school.

Rather than waiting until adulthood to make a difference, the teenager from the Bronx, New York, began using money saved from his allowance to help pay for a child’s education. That small act eventually grew into an international effort supporting children who might otherwise struggle to remain in school.

A Summer Experience That Changed His Perspective

Max began visiting Ghana, where his Nigerian father grew up, when he was around 15. During those visits, he saw children facing financial barriers that made continuing their education difficult.

Seeing young people his own age working to support their families made the issue personal. He decided to help in a practical way, starting by sponsoring a boy named Matthew through school.

Turning Personal Savings Into a Foundation

Max went on to establish the Yenko Foundation, a nonprofit focused on helping children access primary education in Ghana. What began with money from his weekly allowance developed into an effort that also attracted donations from others.

The foundation works with Calvary Methodist Elementary School in Accra. Its support is designed to cover essential costs that can stand between a child and a classroom, including tuition, school meals, uniforms, transportation and supplies.

Ten Children Have Received Educational Support

According to Good News Network’s report published in September 2026, the foundation had raised enough funding to support 10 children through primary school. The reported cost is about $1,000 per child for a year of schooling and related essentials.

For families facing financial pressure, help with these expenses can make a meaningful difference. The initiative focuses on enabling children to attend school rather than having to miss out because their families cannot afford the costs.

Building a Nonprofit While Finishing High School

By the time he was 18, Max was balancing his final year of high school, exams and college applications with trips to Ghana to help oversee the foundation’s work.

His next goal is to support more children through primary education before potentially broadening the foundation’s work to help other people in need. The organization is still growing, but its beginnings show how a modest personal contribution can become a larger community effort.

A Reminder That Young People Can Make a Difference

Max’s story is not about having a large amount of money or waiting for the perfect moment. It is about noticing a problem, taking an initial step and continuing to work toward a solution.

For the children receiving support, the outcome is concrete: help with the costs of going to school. For other young people, his experience offers a reminder that meaningful projects can begin with the resources already available to them.

Source: Good News Network, September 2026.