Where Is She Now? 

In 2005, Katie Reed received a NetAid Global Action Award for her project to raise support for the education of AIDS orphans in Matale, Uganda. A senior in high school, Katie talked to NetAid about staying in the fight against global poverty and the rewards that come with sustained work.

You grew up in Beaverton, Oregon. Small town, from what I understand. What was that like?
I'm actually from Chicago, but I moved to Beaverton for middle school and have lived here ever since. Beaverton is a bedroom community to Portland so I was never that far from the city. It was refreshing to live in a smaller community where it was really easy to see that change that was happening and the impact that my project had. Southridge High School is a pretty diverse place, so it never felt like I was isolated.

Bring us up to date. How has your project changed since we last heard from you?
Getting a NetAid Global Action Award was less about me and more about getting national recognition for the project. You can look at it as the "American Idol" for activist teens. After the award, people were really interested in sponsoring students and volunteering with us.   

Do you feel like your project has had an impact beyond your own school?
This year I have been focused on educating other schools on how to create their own Sister School programs and Sponsor-A-Student Funds. I am proud to say that another local school is starting their own program in Kenya which will begin next fall, and a third sister school connection is starting in Thailand. The non-profit Harambee Centre has taken over both projects and is helping the schools get on their feet.  It's incredible for me to think that the template that I created will soon benefit students in many countries.

How about the students in Uganda who are going to school with the help of your project? Have you gotten a sense of what the support means from them?
Throughout the project, I've received a series of touching letters from the students in Uganda. This spring, one in particular stayed with me. It was from a girl who told me that she prayed for me to stay alive and well so that I could continue to help her. She had lost both her parents, and she told me that she loved me and that I had such a motherly heart. Letters like this have a profound impact on me.

You're about to finish your senior year in high school. Where are you headed after graduation?
I will be heading to Bard College in New York, where I plan to major in international relations.

So I assume you'll be carrying on some form of global poverty work in college. Any ideas for new directions you want to pursue?
Work on issues of global poverty is something that I have decided to dedicate my life to. As the Matale project grows, so do the issues we must address in order to make lasting change, and those are the issues that I'll work on. In the future I plan to be a voice for the students who have been sponsored and work with the Uganda government to push for education for all. Another direction that appeals to me is acting as a bridge between people in developing countries and American youth. My generation is so empowered and has so many resources available - given the proper outlets, we could make incredible changes in the world.

What will happen to the Matale sponsor-a-student project once you're gone?
My goal has been to make the project as sustainable as possible. I am pleased to report that the Sponsor-A-Student Fund will continue in Matale for as long as students need our support.

You still haven't had the chance to visit Uganda to see the project you've worked so hard on. Any plans to go?
There is a trip planned for this August, which will consist of several Southridge teachers and students and a few community members. I chose not to go on the trip because I would not be able to come back to Southridge and give back to the project, and there are four very deserving underclassmen who will be going in my stead. They will keep the project going and get other students motivated, just like I have done for the past two years.

Do you feel like you've made friends with some of the students in Uganda, even from a distance?
Not only have I made lasting friendships with students in Matale, I also look to them continually for motivation and inspiration. They are some of the most important role models in my life, and it's been a real pleasure to help my friends through this project.

Are you a high school student who has led a project like Katie's to fight global poverty?
Apply for a NetAid Global Action Award today >>