Kara VanderKamp '95 Chosen as Hope for Humanity Award Recipient

The former soccer standout will be honored on Monday, April 15, on campus, including during the HOPEYs awards celebration

The alumni H-Club at Hope College is presenting the 2024 Hope for Humanity Award to Kara VanderKamp '95, for her leadership role in helping expand educational opportunities for children in Niger.

Recognizing the values learned in cheering gyms and stadiums as well as silent early-morning workouts, the Hope for Humanity award is presented to Hope College alumni athletes who have demonstrated Christian commitment and service to others in their careers after Hope.

It was first awarded in 1990 and is presented by the college's H-Club, which consists of Hope alumni who were athletic letter winners and other honorary letter winners.

VanderKamp, who as a student was a standout member of the women's soccer team, has served for the past 15 years as the founding chief executive officer of Remember Niger Coalition. She will receive the award during a ceremony on campus on Monday, April 15, and be recognized during the 7 p.m. HOPEYs Celebration of Hope College Athletics and Senior Student-Athletes at DeVos Fieldhouse.

VanderKamp graduated from Hope with a degree in political science and an elementary teaching certificate. A midfielder on the women's soccer team, she served as co-captain during her senior year, was named to the All-MIAA First Team in 1993 and 1994, became the first Hope women's soccer player to gain all-region honors and ended her career as Hope's all-time leader in assists.

After graduating, VanderKamp taught elementary school in Kenya and Chicago. In 2005, she earned her master's degree from Columbia University in Comparative and International Education.

VanderKamp went to Niger in 2007 and spent two years working alongside churches and community leaders who have a vision for education in their country. Recognizing the need for a partner and fundraising organization in the United States, she assembled a team of driven and passionate individuals and groups from all over the United States and founded Remember Niger Coalition in 2009. The mission of Remember Niger Coalition is to unify people and mobilize resources to expand quality educational opportunities in Niger.

As CEO of Remember Niger Coalition, VanderKamp leads the initiative to spread the word about the organization and its mission, raise funds and support, and implement, monitor and evaluate projects in Niger. She is actively engaged in leading the staff and serving on the board of directors. She travels around the United States as a public speaker in churches, rotary clubs, schools and businesses. She regularly travels across Niger to visit each school partner and work closely with each one to ensure that the schools have what they need and students are receiving a quality education. She oversees annual teacher trainings in Niger, and she and her team evaluate and monitor the health and wellness of the students, making sure that students receive school meals and extra healthcare in emergency situations.

Learn more about the Remember Niger Coaltion at rememberniger.com.

VanderKamp is a strong advocate for girls, one of the most vulnerable populations in Niger. She was instrumental in establishing the Hamsa Center for Girls' Education and the Kollo Girls' School. She monitors scholarships for girls who cannot afford the cost of education and she has helped implement tutoring for middle school and high school girls. She oversees sponsorships for young boys and girls and regularly meets with mothers, fathers and grandparents who have a desire for their children to go to a Remember Niger partner school.

The disabled community is also among the most vulnerable populations in Niger. VanderKamp has led Remember Niger to establish partnerships with the Maradi Handicap Association, the Niamey School for the Deaf and the School of Hope for children with disabilities.

Under VanderKamp's leadership, Remember Niger Coalition partners with 18 schools and serves over 5,400 students. Each year, more than 400 students graduate from primary school and matriculate to middle school.

Remember Niger partner schools have a 90% pass rate on the national exam. During the past 15 years, 80 classrooms have been constructed in 13 communities, four solar-powered wells have been built, thousands of children have received school meals. In addition, 115 teachers receive training annually, and 400 boys and girls in primary school and 98 girls in middle and high school who would not otherwise be able to afford the cost of going to school receive financial assistance from sponsors.

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