RtD Girls Academy is certain to succeed – John Powers

The Chairman of Right to Dream (RtD) USA, John Powers is confident the new RtD Girls programme has a 100% chance of success.

RtD will launch the first residential Girls Academy in Africa next month, following the successful completion of the final phase of recruitment.

The Academy has nurtured underprivileged young boys to become role models in society, but this is the first time it will be admitting girls into its fold.

John Powers, who has been with RtD since 2006, believes conditions are ideal for the successful take off of the ambitious project.

“This programme is a 100 percent certain to be successful,” he said adding that, “one of the key factors in the Girls Academy is, “it’s the only development project I know in Africa that has no risk.”

“We know we can find the girls, we have done the trials, we know they can play; we know they are smart, we have tested them.”

“We know they have character and character can be built, and we know that Right to Dream can deliver that,” he said.

John, who got involved with the RtD programme when he became a host family for a graduate of the Academy, also said that American schools will be interested in offering scholarships to the girls.

“I know the boarding schools will be excited to see them. I think they will be more excited than even the boys. And I think the colleges will be much more excited to see them, than the boys.”

“So I think this is a clear win for Right to Dream and it is a win for all the people that these girls will touch and it will touch them.”

Mr. Powers has been a key driver of the RtD girls programme from the beginning. He has been helping manage the affairs of RtD’s 17 graduates on the East Coast of America.

Many of the graduates are currently schooling at The Hotchkiss School, Kent School, Salisbury School and Millbrook School. Seven of the boys are enrolled in Colleges in America including Williams College Fordham University, Boston College and Villanova University.