Meet Porcha Dodson of Project Knapsack

Today we’d like to introduce you to Porcha Dodson.

Tell us how you started Project Knapsack and the inspiration behind wanting to create a program that benefits students in Africa…
I moved to Los Angeles fifteen years ago from a small town called Middleburg, Virginia.

I grew up in a big family with loving parents who stressed the importance of getting an education, exercising manners and having a strong set of values. As a family, we spent a lot of time volunteering in our church, feeding the homeless and working with charitable organizations throughout the community. At a young age, I recognized the joy that I felt when helping others and the importance of giving back to those in need.
Project Knapsack came to fruition during my time working as Director of Diversity and Community Outreach at Curtis School, a DK-6th grade Independent School in Los Angeles.

During Spring Break, I decided to take a trip to the continent of Africa and called my college friend from Baltimore, Maryland who resides in Zambia. I expressed to him that I wanted to visit and spend my time volunteering at some of the local elementary schools in Zambia. In an effort to further promote diversity in the classroom, I invited my third and fourth grade students at Curtis, to write pen pal letters to students at the Chudleigh House School in Lusaka. My friend informed me that there was a shortage of school supplies for the students attending Chudleigh House School.

After my conversation with my friend, I decided to contact several major office supply stores seeking any donated school supplies.
Staples has been a long time, generous supporter of Project Knapsack and has helped us supply over 50,000 brand new backpacks and school supplies to students in the United Stated and throughout Africa.

Project Knapsack recently celebrated its tenth year as a 501(c)3 organization that partners elementary and secondary students in the United States with pen pals across the Continent of Africa.

We are a small organization with a broad reach. Currently, we work with schools and students in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mozambique, and Botswana. We also work with numerous schools throughout the United States. We value the relationship that we have with our partners as they have continued to support our efforts over the years.

South African Airways has also been a longtime supporter of Project Knapsack along with W Hotels, Emi-Jay and Blended Designs.
One of our growing partnerships has been with Rapper and Philanthropist, Big Sean, through his Sean Anderson Foundation. The foundation provides unique opportunities for students in Detroit that focus on education, health and financial literacy. Through our partnership we are able to provide students in Detroit and South Africa with brand new backpacks filled with school supplies at the beginning of each year.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We stand strong in our mission to expand each year by finding new schools and partnerships that allow us to service more students and classrooms.

Our main challenge has been finding creative ways to lower shipping costs. The core of our program is to provide school supplies and backpacks to thousands of students throughout the United States and Africa. Shipping by far has been our biggest expense and one that is vital to the success of our program. Our goal is to partner with companies that can ship our backpacks at a reduced rate or no cost at all.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We have been successful because we have maintained a vibrant mission. Over the years, we have had people approach us with so many wonderful ideas, and opportunities that fall slightly outside of our purview. For us, it’s important to stay true to our purpose and continue to feel good about the work that we do.

What were you like growing up?
I was always a very outgoing and creative kid who loved meeting and connecting with people, all people. I’m very much like my father in many ways. At the age of thirteen, a woman by the name of Tutti gave me my first job as a bus girl at her restaurant, The Backstreet Café. During that time, I learned how good it felt to connect with people and to hear their stories. We grew up with the most loving and supportive parents, who taught us to respect and treat every person the same. They introduced me to my love of travel at a very young age. By the time I was 17, I was traveling the world alone and making friends along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.projectknapsack.org
• Instagram: @projectknapsackinc
• Facebook: Prooject Knapsack
• Twitter: @projectknapsack

Image Credit:
@stephensimonphoto (Stephen Simon)

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