Host families from Muncie play an important role in making students from Africa feel at home in America.
From Zumba dance classes to traditional African meals, Mariama Boubacar said her host parents made sure to treat her as their own daughter. The 16-year-old high school student from Niger said her time in the United States has been great because of her host family.
"We did a lot together," Boubacar said. "The highlight of my whole time [in America] was meeting my host family."
Boubacar is visiting Muncie with 23 other African students in a session from Oct. 7-30 as part of the Pan-African Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP). The U.S. Department of State program began bringing students to Ball State in 2014 through the Meridian International Center, a global leadership organization based out of Washington, D.C.
Huso Selimović, Ball State's Center for International Development’s project coordinator, said the program has many goals, from positively affecting the students themselves to finding ways to fix their countries’ problems.
During the students' time at Ball State, they work with their mentors to create an action plan. Once they have their plans, they can apply for grants from the U.S. government and put them in action once they return home.
Zac Heyman, a translator and interpreter from Meridian International Center, said these action plans do turn into real projects. From pushing for more science career possibilities for women to educating nations about terrorism, these students are planning to make a difference.
Heyman said he truly enjoyed working with this "exceptional group of young people."
Selimović said the arriving students were welcomed by not just Ball State, but by the Muncie community. They had many opportunities to immerse themselves in the city. Students visited the local Boys & Girls Club, volunteered for Second Harvest Food Bank and met Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler.
Cornelius Dollison, a host father for students students alongside his wife Mary Dollison, said being a good host is important for the exchange students who are young and in a new country.
"Home is a long, long way away," Cornelius said. "And these kids need African-American hosts. … There's only two, maybe three of us."
The Dollison family has hosted students three times at this point and wishes to continue hosting next year. Mary said she enjoys having the students and wishes there was more visibility for the program in Muncie.
"Every time, it gets better," Mary said. "It's a wonderful opportunity, and the community needs to see what's happening here."
Vice president of Muncie's city council, Julius Anderson, is also a host for students. While he has a love and respect for PAYLP, he said something needs to be changed for next year.
"We bring in some of the brightest students from across the world," Anderson said. "We have to make sure we give them the very best of the United States, … give them that Muncie touch."
Anderson said some of the families are hosting two or three kids a time, rather than the ideal one student per family. While every session tends to have the same host families volunteering, Anderson would like to see more people in the Muncie community stepping up for the next program in April.
Students will say their goodbyes to their Muncie host families Oct. 20. Heyman said it’s a “pretty tough moment” for everyone involved. After a stop in Chicago, the 24 students will return to their respective countries.
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