The Will Smith Mentor Leaders Academy opened in 2010 as an open air school for the children in the village of Gbentchal, Togo, West Africa. By 2012 the school had grown into a beautiful campus with a two-story school building, a water well, church building and feeding center. The school building was dedicated in memory of Will Smith, a young boy tragically killed in a car accident whose desire even at a young age was to help the children in Africa. Funded by the Will Smith Foundation that his mother, Susan Naylor, established to keep the memory and the desire of her son, the academy was made possible for the children in Gbentchal.

The vision and mission has continued to grow in Togo and in 13 short years has developed a sustainable community, a thriving church and has obtained superior academics with 100% of the children passing their year-end exams!