Hello! My name is Carlee Schmelzer and this is my fundraising page for my trip to Uganda as a volunteer with Hope Speaks. I graduated in December 2019 from the Ohio State University with a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences and I am going to graduate school in the Fall of 2020 to pursue a Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology. I am very excited about this mission trip, as it is an amazing opportunity for me to learn more about the field of Speech-Language Pathology. In addition to any clinical skills I may acquire, I am also looking forward to growing in my relationship with God in the faith-based environment of Hope Speaks, where they are dedicated to bettering the lives of all the people that they meet.  

Hope Speaks is a nonprofit based in Kampala, Uganda. Their mission is to inspire hope and raise voices of people with disabilities through speech therapy, advocacy, education, and social services. In Uganda, 1 in 7 children are living with a disability. Hope Speaks' main focus is on making speech, language, and feeding therapy accessible for hundreds of children. In therapy, they help children learn to communicate their wants, needs, and ideas, build social skills, and swallow safely, as well as empower and educate families and communities about disabilities and available resources to help people of all abilities reach their fullest potential.  

Many of Hope Speaks' volunteers are Speech-Language Pathology grad students, as well as SLP professionals. Through volunteer partnerships, Hope Speaks strives to build the capacity of Ugandan therapists through training and mentoring. 

Hope Speaks has gone beyond that and also includes hosting other groups who help with projects, food for families, respite care, children's day camps, and serving in the slums.

Every donation is important and will enable me to be present and help children with disabilities to find their voices. Would you kindly consider making a donation? Also, I would appreciate your willingness to share this with others who may want to participate.

Thank you so much for being a part of my life and helping me accomplish something that's important to all of us! God bless you!