Growing up in eastern Ghana, Daniel Boateng often found his school missing familiar faces. Many of his childhood friends were absent—not by choice, but because their families could not afford basic school supplies and uniforms. Their absence left a lasting impression on Boateng. Now a junior at Notre Dame studying global affairs, he is working to ensure that more children in Ghana have the resources and motivation to stay in school.
“I was fortunate that my parents could support my education,” Boateng said. “Seeing my friends unable to attend school made me promise myself that if I ever had the chance to help, I would do everything I could.”
In September 2023, Boateng founded the Changing Lives GH Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting education and healthcare for young people in Ghana. With the support of his Notre Dame soccer teammates Cleveland Sellers and Liam Egan, Boateng leveraged the popularity of soccer to engage communities and create opportunities for children.
During Notre Dame’s winter break, Boateng organized two major youth soccer tournaments in Ghana. These events not only provided a competitive platform for young athletes but also integrated essential healthcare services. Working with local doctors and nurses, the tournaments offered free health screenings and meals to participants and their families.
“We combined soccer with health checkups,” Boateng explained. “Families received screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar levels, HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. Children also attended hygiene education sessions to help prevent diseases like cholera.”
The response was overwhelming. In 2023, more than 620 young athletes participated, receiving free meals, while 320 adults and 130 children underwent medical screenings. The 2024 tournament, which started early in the morning for Boateng, served nearly 300 children and 550 adults.
“I didn’t even get the chance to play,” Boateng said, smiling. “The event was packed with energy and excitement.”
Beyond the sport and health benefits, Boateng emphasized the tournaments’ deeper purpose—bringing hope to children and families struggling with poverty.
“Many people in Ghana feel trapped in poverty, and children often see no way out,” he said. “By gathering parents and creating an event where their kids can thrive, we show them that a better future is possible.”
Healthcare professionals like Alberta Gyan, a nurse at Tetegu Community Hospital in Accra, highlighted the impact of these events. “Many people avoid hospital checkups due to cost,” Gyan said. “Changing Lives provides not only health care but also a platform for children to build confidence through soccer.”
As a global affairs student, Boateng is gaining knowledge to expand his nonprofit’s reach. His coursework at Notre Dame, including a class on poverty and development taught by Professor Michael Morris, has given him valuable insights.
“That class taught me how to build partnerships, present our brand, and engage corporations,” Boateng said. “Addressing education inequality is not a sprint—it’s a marathon.”
Through donor support, Changing Lives has already funded the education of 10 children. Boateng is now planning the foundation’s next initiative—a case competition for high school students in Accra this summer. In the future, he hopes to build a school in Ghana.
Despite being far from home, Boateng remains connected to his mission. His mother, his primary caregiver, passed away in 2018. Later that year, he moved to the United States to attend high school, play soccer for the Santa Barbara Soccer Club, and live with an American host family in Carpinteria, California. Today, the small coastal town serves as his home base when he is not at Notre Dame.
“Creating Changing Lives has changed me,” Boateng reflected. “Before, I was focused on my own life. Now, every morning, I wake up thinking, ‘I have to change someone’s life.”
