How a SouthCoast Man’s Visits to West Africa Transformed Hundreds of Impoverished Lives

Leon Monty of Marion does a lot of traveling each year. He visits Ghana in West Africa twice a year, but not just to sightsee.

He meets with the people in that country, and with his "team" there, seeking to address the needs of children and families living in impoverished conditions.

Monty is the founder of an organization called Kids of Ghana. He stopped by Townsquare Sunday this week to discuss his work and his relationship with the children of Ghana.

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Founding the Kids of Ghana Foundation

"Why Ghana? That's a very familiar question to me," Monty said. "First, I married a woman from Ghana. When we went on our first trip there, I witnessed some of the most deprived children I've ever seen. I am a prayerful follower of Christ, so it didn't take me long to figure out helping these kids is what God wanted from me."

Mike Roberts/Townsquare Media

The Kids of Ghana Foundation has existed for eight years with Monty and his team serving as missionaries in West Africa. "I have five people working in the more rural areas of West Africa," he said. "I call them my agents, and they are contacted by people in need, and they report to me on what the need is, how we can help, and if it's legitimate. We take it from there."

Digging Wells, Building Mobility, and Delivering Aid

The help that the foundation provides is varied and important, ranging from shelter, clothing, and shoes to digging wells to provide clean water and providing prosthetic devices for amputees to restore their mobility and independence.

If you would like to make a donation to the Kids of Ghana Foundation, please visit kidsofghana.org.

How Favorable Exchange Rates Stretch Local Donations

Monty explained that because the exchange rate is so favorable in Ghana, cash donations can go a lot further. For instance, a $100 donation will buy almost $1,100 worth of goods in Ghana.

Monty will again be visiting Ghana in February and he's looking forward to it. "There's about 10 tons of love wherever I go in that country. It's pretty amazing," he said. "I walk into a village unannounced with my team, and the kids just know what's going on. I open my arms and they come running."

If you would like your nonprofit or charitable organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please email the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.