Local students raise money so Kenyan boy can hear

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A 3-year-old Kenyan orphan named Daniel had an opportunity against all odds.

Daniel was born deaf. Thanks to donations raised by a young boy in our area, Daniel can now hear after receiving a cochlear implant in June.

Jack Ellison is in 6th grade at Friends School of Wilmington. He raised nearly 4,000 dollars so far for Daniel which helped pay a portion of Daniel’s operation.

When Ellison’s teacher first told him to do a good deed every week he didn’t exactly know how it would end.

Jack started raising money for the Amani Children’s Foundation out of Winston-Salem.

The foundation partners with New Life Home in Nairobi, Kenya, which is where Daniel currently lives until adopted by a Kenyan family.

“I made an envelope that had Daniel Fund on it and then I put it right in the classroom so every day kids could come in and drop off money in the envelope,” Jack said.

The students had been anxiously awaiting for Daniel’s arrival Monday as he met the entire class for the first time.

“Taking a big step from what our teachers really had first asked us to do,” Jack said. “It just seemed really nice and it was great.”

Jack said he wants to continue helping Daniel, so if you would like to donate you can do so on their GoFundMe page.