Brownsville students fundraise for trip to Ghana to connect with their heritage.

BROWNSVILLE, Brooklyn (PIX11) -- Fifteen students from Frederick Douglas Academy VII in Brownsville got the experience of a lifetime.

They fundraised to travel to Ghana and learn more about their origins and ancestors.

“If I could relive this entire experience, I would,” said Jhalil McKenzie.

He and Shani Weekes returned from a 10-day trip to Ghana organized by the school's Brownsville Abroad program.

“Out of the country, I would’ve never thought that,“ said Weekes.

Once in Ghana, students participated in a variety of activities including an arts festival, and a canopy walk in a rainforest. They also attended a local school for a day.

But perhaps the most eye-opening experience was their visit to the dungeons where thousands of slaves were held captive.

“We had to put our hand on the wall to have a connection with our ancestors,” added Shani. “We did candle lighting, and it was mostly spiritual to some of us because some of us felt something from that connection.”

Bijoun Jordan has been teaching English for 20 years and is also the travel coordinator for the Brownsville Abroad program, an initiative that started in 2016.

“There’s something about travel that is like what you can get from a book, but we are taking you straight there, and we are giving you direct access to an experience,” he said.

After visiting Africa, Asia, and Europe, the scholars will visit either Central America or South America next.

But traveling abroad comes with a hefty price tag. That’s why families are only required to pay for 15% of the trip. The rest is provided by fundraisers like art auctions, 5K runs, and collaborations with local business owners, but that’s not all.

“The vast majority of our funding comes from our donors, staff, fundraisers, and the scholars who participated in crowdfunding and organizations,” said Bijoun.