Driven with the motive of improving lives across the globe, Blossom Together was founded in 2018 by a few high school friends. What began as simply a desire to help establish wells bringing clean water to one developing area in Africa expanded to also forge campaigns delivering food, medicine, clothing, and educational resources to multiple countries.

 

The early success of Blossom Together can be traced back to a casual dinner that Sami Kandil’s family hosted, inviting over two new friends who had recently immigrated from Burkina Faso. While enjoying a good meal, the conversation over dinner began to focus on life back home. The guests spoke of how their beautiful country was stricken by poor living conditions, resulting from symptoms like poverty, famine, and a lack of hygiene. Kandil’s curiosity peaked, pushing him to ask if there were opportunities to better the situation even the slightest. From there, he received the contacts of his soon-to-be partners who lived in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Forming a 6-member team with his classmates, Kandil coined the organization’s name and set to work to lead a pathway to Burkina Faso. Goals were set and partnerships were made, only leaving funds to be raised. From pitching the projects in seminars to selling Krispy Kreme donuts for $1 each, the team set the standard with over $30,000 of relief initiatives in a matter of months.

 

Since 2018, Kandil has spent a combined total of over two months overseas for these projects. The fulfilling and life-changing experiences that the entire team felt both working towards the projects at home and following through abroad ignited the passion that grew this organization. Looking back at the humble beginnings of Blossom Together, it has been an incredible journey to watch it grow from a high school project to the premier humanitarian organization at the University of Virginia.