Chance for Change was founded in 2011 for the purpose of providing financial aid for the higher education of young women in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Burkina Faso is not only one of the poorest countries in the world, but it also ranks last in adult female literacy. Without our support, the young women we sponsor would not be afforded the opportunity for continued education. Chance for Change is
a certified 501(c)3 organization, so all contributions are 100% tax deductible with the IRS. The employees of Chance for Change are proud to contribute their time and skills to the cause. In the spirit of the charity, none of the founders or contributors are paid a salary. All the operating costs of the charity come out-of-pocket from the board members. Every penny you donate goes to the young women of Burkina Faso. Because Chance for Change is so small, it is easy for us to work under our three primary principles:
Absolute transparency of how the organization operates. Every penny will go to the education of the sponsored girls; not to salaries, nor overhead. Our supporters will always be updated on the girls’ progress. CEO and co-founder, Frederic Eckhard, makes regular trips to Koudougou and Ouagadougou, two of the largest cities in Burkina Faso. During his trips, Fred takes time to visit our sponsored women, their families, schools and teachers to track their progress and monitor their needs. He also maintains close relationships with the directors of several secondary schools and Universities in these cities. As CEO and Director of Admissions for Chance for Change, Fred conducts interviews and supplies applications for potential recipients. After review and approval by the Board of Directors, the organization pays tuition, and supplies a modest allowance for books, supplies, housing, and transportation based on the needs of each individual student. Typically these costs come to about $2000 USD per year for each student. Chance for Change pays all the costs of the currency transfers to Burkina Faso, where a representative personally delivers the money to the student’s university of choice, and the allowance to the student or the student’s family. All of the money is carefully tracked and receipts are signed to guarantee full transparency to our donors. Fred’s regular visits and the support of our associates in Burkina Faso allow Chance for Change to maintain a close relationship with the sponsored young women and their families.
