About Stand Tall International
Stand Tall International started in 2013 when the founders Masha Balovlenkov and Jason Smith traveled to Africa to volunteer in the small town of Moshi, Tanzania, where they met 11-year-old Benson Mushi. At the time, Benson was almost paralyzed with spinal tuberculosis (TB). He had visited every hospital in his region and no one could provide a diagnosis, much less perform his complicated spinal surgery. Masha traveled with him to Ghana where he received the lifesaving procedure. After his extensive recovery, Benson returned to Tanzania and Stand Tall raised enough money to send him to private school. Through this journey, Masha and Jason learned how changing the life of one child impacts the health of the entire community, and through the fundraising efforts of Stand Tall, they are continuing in their mission to provide this same life-changing support to other children in East Africa.
Hope Rising: A Benefit for Stand Tall International
Nationally renowned artists from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia bring their socially conscious voices together to save the lives of disabled children in East Africa.
Performing artists included:
- Fôr Dance Co.
- Mook Dance Company
- Evalina “Wally” Carbonell
- D2D: Dare to Dance
- Praevado Dance Collective
- Nickerson-Rossi Dance
Special Presentations by:
- Kariamu & Company: Traditions with soloist Shaness Kemp
- Koresh Youth Ensemble
- Boyer College Student Piano Trio:
Xuan Yao, violin
Elena Smith, cello
Lamying Cheng, piano
Presented by Fôr Dance Company and the Boyer College of Music and Dance, all proceeds from the evening benefit Stand Tall International (www.standtallinternational.org), an organization that arranges life-saving surgery for children with severe spinal deformities.
Facebook Event
https://www.facebook.com/events/559113464213201/
Stand Tall Website
http://www.standtallinternational.org/
Stand Tall Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwB9SmqM6w8
Press Contact: Christina Eltvedt, MFA dance student and event organizer: tuf64593@temple.edu