Former television star of “The Bachelor” encouraged everyone at the Mizzou for Malawi event to find their purpose. Whether it be building schools in other countries or creating change in other ways, Ben Higgins found his purpose by serving others.
The “Benerous” fundraising event took place at Cafe Berlin on Monday, April 16 and was organized by Mizzou for Malawi. The fundraiser held two events at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., filling the cafe with people.
Founded by MU students in 2008, Mizzou for Malawi is a “students for students” organization that raises money to secure education for orphaned students in Salima, Malawi, according to the group’s website.
The group fundraised money to fund and build a primary school at Pothawira Village, a community in Salima. Currently, Mizzou for Malawi is working on a campaign to establish a secondary school by hosting a 100-kilometer charity bike ride across the southeastern African country, according to the Malawi 100 website. Ticket sales from the “Benerous” fundraiser went toward the project.
Higgins, along with Mebble Maseko, who grew up in Malawi, each talked at the event. Maseko’s parents founded and direct the Pothawira Village, showing the power of education as it enriches lives. Mizzou for Malawi proceeds go toward the Pothawira Village.
Learning in a classroom under a tree, Maseko and her classmates had to pass a national exam and be selected by the Malawian government to attend secondary school. The country does not have enough secondary schools to accommodate every student, Maseko said.
Speaking on behalf of the children in Malawi, Maseko now advocates for education for these children who have no hope and no voice, she said.
Next, Higgins recalled his service trip to Honduras where, as a 15-year-old, he did not understand why the children clinged to his leg, begging him to stay. This was really the only attention these children had ever received, Higgins said. Moving forward, this trip made him realize that his life could not be consumed by selfishness; he had to serve others. Higgins found purpose in serving others.
“Your purpose is way too powerful for you to just sit here and wait,” Higgins said at the event.
Co-founder of Generous International, Higgins works to enrich the lives of others. Generous International is a for-profit, for-purpose enterprise that sells various products to raise money that goes toward alleviating world poverty and “bringing hope to the world,” according to his LinkedIn page. Mizzou for Malawi and Generous International both work with The Global Orphan Project.
His efforts through Generous International give Higgins a means of fulfilling and carrying out his purpose. Even if the cause for Mizzou for Malawi did not resonate with the fundraiser’s audience or pull at their heartstrings, Higgins encouraged each attendee to find their purpose. Whether it is with this cause or another, it is important to look outward, toward others, rather than inward.
The event went beyond the prizes raffled off and pictures with the former “Bachelor.” It instilled a light of purpose in its audience.
_Edited by Brooke Collier | bcollier@themaneater.com_
