For two University seniors, their last fall semester will be focused on a school –– just not their own.

French and economics major Nikil Kashyap and applied biotechnology major Joseph Najjar, are helping build an elementary school in northeastern Mali, Africa, with the help of their student group F.O.O.T.S.T.E.P.S. at UGA.

F.O.O.T.S.T.E.P.S stands for “Friends On One Team Supporting The Efforts to Provide Sustainability.”

African Sky, a nonprofit organization which runs various projects throughout the continent, has recently launched “10 Schools for 2010,” a school construction project.

After returning from a summer study abroad program in France, Kashyap started looking for opportunities to do good in the world.

A friend of Kashyap’s put him in touch with African Sky, and the nonprofit organization offered the opportunity to help build schools.

Kashyap said the organization is building 10 schools in Mali, and each school will cost around $14,000 to complete.

“The more we started to research this kind of stuff, we realized it’s well beyond just educating people — it’s a change in the way that the world has to approach the thinking to help these areas,” Kashyap said. “It has to be putting them in the position to actually succeed, giving them a perspective that we have on the world and then they can make their own decisions.”

Kashyap and Najjar said universal education is the most powerful way to instill change.

“It is a tangible goal,” Najjar said. “I feel like with a lot of fundraising you don’t necessarily see the direct effect of what you’re doing, and this is a set goal. We have the amount that we need to raise, and we get to see the results within the next year –– a very rewarding opportunity.”

The chosen towns in Africa will build the schools through their own resources, and they will also staff the schools with teachers choosing their own curriculum.

“We obviously don’t know what’s best for them — they know what’s best for them,” Najjar said. “It’s not like they don’t know what they need to do to advance themselves — they just don’t have the capability. This is a good way to help them, to let them help themselves.”

The University group has already raised close to $2,000 toward their $14,000 goal.

The first general meeting takes place tonight at 7 at the Miller Learning Center, Room 275. F.O.O.T.S.T.E.P.S. will also be manning a table at the Tate Student Center Plaza during the Fall Activities Fair today from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.