🎉 I am a doctoral candidate...tourism...and more‪!‬ The Debra Kouda Podcast

Long time
It has been way too long since I have posted to this newsletter. I am sure that you are all on pins and needles about what is going on in our lives!
I’ll just hit some highlights which I will dive into further in the upcoming weeks.
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* I am a doctoral candidate! This means that I am no longer a student…and am ready to complete the research that I proposed in my dissertation proposal defense - which is focused on the topic of transformational tourism.
* This leads me to…our tourism business. The Kouda Company is undergoing a major revival. Can you actually call it a revival if it never lifted off the ground in the first place?? Anyhow, it is in the beginning stages of a start-up now…making a pitch for investors, branding, logos, a new website, marketing research…all the things!
* This newsletter…It will be a way for me to write, share, communicate, and build community with people about motherhood, homeschooling, entrepreneurship, doctoral studies, research, tourism, and so much more. Sounds like a crazy mix of subjects, but that is my life and I would like to lean into sharing my story with others.
Jean’s Story
Although we have been in the US for a little while now, we remain closely connected to events unfolding in Benin. My husband, D'Aquin, was recently nominated to serve as the president of a new nonprofit organization called Support for Disabled People, dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities in our region of Benin.
Their mission is to advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities in crucial areas such as health, information access, education, employment, income, and culture.
A few weeks ago, D’Aquin headed to Benin to visit family and take care of some business. As he was arriving at his hotel around midnight, a young boy who was sitting close by asked if he could help D’Aquin with his bags. Of course, D’Aquin said. When the boy stood up, D’Aquin saw that the boy was handicapped, his legs caving inwards at the knees. D’Aquin was moved by the boy’s willingness to help, even though he was disabled.
With his new role as president of Support for Disabled People fresh on his mind, D’Aquin wanted to know more about the boy, whose name was Jean (pronounced like “John” with a French accent). The following morning the opportunity presented itself, as Jean was sitting in the same place as the night before. The video below is Jean’s story.
After watching the video, you can see that the story goes way beyond Jean. His parents lost their means to make a living and provide housing for their family when they had to pay all the medical bills during Jean’s illness.
D'Aquin has already enrolled Jean in one of the Support for Disabled People programs, which will assist him in locating and financing an apprenticeship to pursue a career as a tailor. Sadly, at this time, the program does not provide support for entire families.
We would like to find a way to get the family back on their feet. This means getting the mother and father working again and renting an apartment that is off the dirt ground. We have thought long and hard about the best way to do this, because we have learned over the years that simply giving them money will not necessarily help them.
Here is our plan:
$725 Motorcycle and helmet for the father, so that he can begin his work as a taxi motorcycle driver again.
$200 Provide the mother with funds to purchase goods to sell, previously she sold fruit (pineapple, coconuts, mango, etc) on the side of the road.
$225 Find them a place to rent that is affordable for them and pay full rent (including water and electricity) for 3 months and partial rent for the following 3 months.
$300 Provide them with furniture and kitchen essentials
After 6 months, we will evaluate an