We were lucky to catch up with Elijah (El) Ndoye recently and have shared our conversation below.
Elijah (El), thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Discipline!
According to my mother even at a young age, I have always been that way. When I set my mind into doing something I just do it and it does not matter how long it takes, I just have to take it to the finish line. I grew up seeing my dad being the same so I guess I have learned it from him. This resilience ties into my story with The Forgotten Children and the Boarding School.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Born in Senegal, West Africa in the small coastal community of Lebou, Elijah was raised in a culture that emphasizes piety, gratitude and respect for all others. His move to Tucson, AZ in 1995 was followed by a business degree from the University of Arizona and a 20+ year career in banking and business development. Along with his passion for music, Elijah has devoted himself to the founding of The Forgotten Children, a non-profit charity that raises funds to provide essential food, shelter, education and healthcare to orphaned, impoverished and homeless children in M’bour Senegal. He is responsible for the construction of a boarding school that can safely house and educate up to 100 children. The school opened in late 2022 and currently houses 25 students ages 3 to 11.
The Forgotten Children is a registered non-profit foundation which serves orphaned, impoverished and homeless children in M’bour Senegal, West Africa. Our mission established a boarding school that would provide safe housing, nourishment and education for these children in dire need.
In October of 2022, a dream that was 11 years in the making was realized as we completed construction and opened the school to the first group of kids. Our teachers, staff and caregivers are the finest in Senegal, devoting their time and efforts 24/7 to this cause well beyond what we can afford to pay them. The results so far have been astonishing.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The vision and the why. The dedication and getting the community involved.
The passion to give back.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
We have however only just begun our journey as a school to make a real and positive difference in these children’s lives. The struggle to provide funding for staff, food, clothing, medical care, maintenance, utilities and other essentials is a constant critical challenge we need to meet to keep our vision alive. We can only continue with the generous support of individuals and corporate sponsors alike. Please consider helping our organization with a donation or continuing sponsorship so that we may change the course of young lives and help to create a better world for these children in need.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theforgottenchildren.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.forgottenchildren?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Facebook: The Forgotten Children
