Education: Pharmacy techs help put Cameroon kids through private school

Atlanta – Education is something many Americans take for granted. But for pharmacy technician Florence Aleh, an education did not come easy, and wants to make sure other kids get the best and is getting help from her co-workers.

Aleh, who works at WellStar Cobb Hospital, is successful and well-respected by her co-workers.

“She’s just loving, caring. She’ll always go the extra mile to try to help anyone, anytime,” said co-worker Naijah Holley.

The Cameroon native is completing classes to be a pharmacist. She says the struggles of her past are never far from her memory. Her mother was widowed and had to raise her and her three sisters alone.

“She struggled with us to send us to school. I grew up in a family where chicken and beef was life luxury,” said Aleh.

A public school education in Cameroon costs about $6 a year. Aleh says she always wanted to go to private school as a child. Her co-workers were shocked to hear it would cost only $200 a year.

“For the whole year? Like the entire school year? She said yes, that was it. I thought, wow. We pay more for daycare a week here than it would take to send a child to school there,” said Holley.

“So everybody was like wow. Let’s do this thing. Let’s put money together and send some of these kids to private school,” said Aleh.

That’s exactly what they did. Seven students are now receiving a private school education, including meals, for a year because of the pharmacy.

“I am so happy. I don’t even know how to thank them. Very, very, grateful,” said Aleh.

The children chosen share Aleh’s background; from poor neighborhoods, and being raised by single parents. According to the thank you letters she receives all the time, they no longer have just a single parent.

“The kids, they all call me mommy, some of them call me aunty. I don’t have kids yet. I’m looking forward to having kids and all of them are my kids,” said Aleh.

Most importantly, Aleh says her Cameroon kids appreciate her American friends.

“The smiles on their faces make me very, very happy,” Aleh said.

Aleh is hoping to sponsor more children in the coming school year. She also hopes to help with the cost of books and uniforms. If you would like to help, click here!

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Tacoma Perry| 12/12/12 | FOX 5 reporter |