At 18 years old, as Black Enterprise reported in September 2026, Max Owobu is doing everything a normal high school senior does: studying for exams, going to parties and applying to universities. But there is one difference. He frequently flies back and forth to Ghana to manage his nonprofit, the Yenko Foundation.

This Story Starts

When Max was 15, he began spending summers in Ghana, where his Nigerian father was raised. Max told Good News Network that during his time there he saw children his age working to provide for their families by selling products in shops or on the street, instead of being enrolled in education.

He knew firsthand how much a child benefited from attending school, not just academically but socially too. He did not think it was fair for a child to miss out on this simply because of the economic circumstances they were born into.

Once Max returned home to New York and back to school that year, he began setting aside part of his weekly allowance to pay for one child’s education. That child’s name was Matthew, and his sponsorship became the roots of the Yenko Foundation, the 501(c)(3) Max helped establish with his friend Alexander and a family friend in Ghana so his friends and strangers could support Ghanaian children’s education too.

Setting up Yenko

Through its sponsorship package, the Yenko Foundation raises funds to sponsor Ghanaian children’s education. A $1,000 sponsorship through Yenko covers tuition, along with essential supplies, school meals, uniforms and transportation.

When Max first sought out a partner school, he wanted to ensure he selected a supportive environment for Matthew. Max told Good News Network that a local family friend advised him to look at Calvary Methodist Elementary School in Accra. Upon visiting, Max was struck by the school’s atmosphere, noting that “the kids were just so joyous, so enthusiastic, just so joyful to be going to school.” One visit convinced Max that Calvary Methodist would be the ideal partner school for Matthew and future sponsored students.

Yenko Now

During the summer trip to Accra described in his foundation’s undated account, Max spent several weeks working directly with the foundation and the sponsored students at Calvary Methodist. Three of his friends flew out to join him. Together, they assisted with tutoring the kids in English and math, and led fun games like Seven Up and tongue twisters – something Max recalls as a highlight of his trip.

As part of their efforts to expand educational access, the foundation gifted each student at the school a book to take home, which would hopefully be the beginning of a love for reading. A different book was selected for each grade, with kindergarten children receiving “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and fifth- and sixth-graders receiving “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.”

During his time, Max also got to see how Matthew was progressing. The boy whose sponsorship started it all had grown into a playful, kind and confident boy. Seeing him excited about learning and growing into his environment was one of the most rewarding parts of the trip, Max said.

What Yenko Has Achieved

Matthew is not the only one. As of September 2026 reporting, the Yenko Foundation supported 10 children across kindergarten through fifth grade at Calvary Methodist Elementary School. Max’s short-term goal is to secure funding to help 10 to 15 children complete their full primary school education. His long-term goal expands beyond Ghanaian children’s education. Max eventually hopes to expand to help hospitals, orphanages and anyone else in Ghana who needs help.

Conclusion

What began as one teenager’s attempt to use his allowance for good has now developed into an international effort to improve Ghanaian children’s education. The story of Max Owobu and the Yenko Foundation shows that anyone can inspire others, no matter their age, and it only takes one person to make a big change.

– Ruby Straker

Ruby is based in Edinburgh, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons