Inch-by-inch UIndy students change an African community
By Samantha Shelton
NEWS EDITOR
A simple conversation can change many lives. The idea for Inches International, an organization founded by University of Indianapolis visual communication design students Lydia Fischer, a junior, and Lyndsay McBride, a sophomore, came together through a small conversation between the two while they were walking to class. The organization was formed to provide African children with scholarships to attend school.
Fischer and McBride got the idea for the organization after spending three weeks in Liberia building a schoolhouse in the small village of Kpain as part of a Spring Term service-learning trip in May 2007.
“We kind of knew what we were in for [when going on the trip], but we didn’t know what a huge impact we would make on the community,” Fischer said. “It was so easy to change so many lives.”
Freed American slaves founded Liberia in 1822. From 1989 to 2003, a brutal civil war ravaged the country and since then, Liberians have been working to rebuild the country’s infrastructure.
After returning to UIndy, Fischer and McBride came up with the idea to sell bracelets to provide Liberian children with scholarships to attend school.
According to the Inches International Web site (www.inchesinternational.org), $75 can send a Liberian child to school for a year.
“We came up with the idea to sell bracelets that look like school supplies,” McBride said. “It’s something so simple but has such a huge effect on that community.”
The metal bracelets are designed to look like a ruler and feature the Inches logo and tag line “…by inches.” The bracelets come in nine different colors and are sold for $5 each.
Since Oct. 2007, Inches has sold 500 bracelets and sent 25 Liberian children to school.
Besides the bracelet project, Inches also is collecting sets of K-12 textbooks from area high schools and medical supplies to send to Liberia. UIndy has allowed Inches to borrow the university-owned building on Shelby St. to keep the supplies.
“This organization wasn’t easy in the beginning,” said Charles Guthrie, associate professor of history and political science and Inches’ faculty advisor. “These two [Fischer and McBride] are doing great things. Nobody knows how these things will turn out, but they [Fischer and McBride] already touched a button.”
Fischer and McBride had the opportunity to speak about Inches at a sociology conference earlier this year in Las Vegas, Nev.
“We met a lot of people and built great relationships,” Fischer said. “Those contacts will help makes Inches bigger by donating money and by offering their support.”
The two students also will be starting a program with a Fort Wayne elementary school in April.Students will sell the bracelets as part of a fund raising activity.
Inches also will be featured in a university magazine published by the Admissions Office and sent to prospective students. If a student receiving the magazine fills out and returns the card to receive more information on UIndy, he or she will also receive an Inches bracelet.
Inches is planning other events in the future, such as a benefit concert for Liberian children.
“This is basically a practical application of what we’re learning in school,” McBride said. “We’ve done everything, from designs to presentations.”
Guthrie said that Inches will apply for non-profit status with the IRS this year, because of the success of the program.
“Remarkable work shows what is possible when imaginations are turned loose and commitment is strong,” Guthrie said. “Lives have been changed.”
Both Fischer and McBride said they would love to travel back to Africa on another service learning trip.
“I want to go back sometime in my life,” McBride said. “Hopefully, it’ll be for Inches.”
