How are you today? We hope you found ways to adapt to the new normal as we move forward with 2020. It seems like things change daily and we learn to adjust as needed. Again, your dedication to Liberian Youth allows UDS to be agile during these trying times. Thank you again for including UDS in your charitable giving!
Your recent plumbing, computer, and catering graduates at work during the past year.
In Liberia, they are trying to balance managing the cases as they increase with removing some of the restrictions. Let’s look at the current numbers for COVID-19 as August 9: 1,234confirmed cases, 79 people who have died, 714 people recovered, and 267 cases per million people. Again, testing is limited, so these numbers might not reflect reality.
The Government of Liberia announced that the 6th to 11th graders will return on August 10 to resume the 2019/2020 school year. The year will end in December. There is no return of the preschoolers to 5th graders. All schools are waiting on any guidance if we can promote them from what they accomplished during the time they attended. Therefore, the academic year will start either end of December or early January.
Also, universities and vocational training schools are reopening. We have a tentative date of September 15 to start our fourth vocational training cohort. Currently, our tailoring instructor and graduates are making masks for the 6th and 7th graders and the new vocational training students. Additionally, We will be adding extra handwashing stations and taking their temperatures before entering the center. Keeping all students safe is our number priority.
Are you feeling great today? You should because your generous support helped exceed our goal by raising $3,072!!! Your compassion for your students and families helped contribute to their safety during this global pandemic. We hope this news puts a smile on your face knowing that your benevolence makes a difference. Thank you again for including Uniting Distant Stars in your charitable giving!
Your Generous Support Helped Exceed Our $3,000 Goal for COVID-19!
This was updated on 06/27/20 to revise the total from $3,025 to $3,072.
In response, to the urgency of protecting your students, our team combined the items we purchased from the first half of the donations ($1,500) into individual student packages. Additionally, Kelvin Fomba, UDS Co-Founder & Director made a brochure explaining COVID-19 and how to stay safe with proper handwashing.
Primary Students Receive Their Packages
On Tuesday, May 12, your 350 primary students came to pick up their items. As the students socially distanced outside the center, our team would review the student list to ensure everyone received their packages. Your young students were so grateful to receive these items!
Your young students receiving their handwashing packages.
Vocational Training Students Receive Their Packages
Two days later on May 14, your 100 vocational students were asked to pick up their items. Again, your vocational training students were so appreciative of your generosity. Surprisingly, one posted this in a group chat room later that day.
Your vocation training students receiving their packages.
As stated above, each student received a brochure with their package. Since UDS is an educational institution, it was important to provide your students with additional information to keep them safe during this global pandemic. Kelvin designed the brochure with the information he had been compiling from various sources. He then printed enough brochure s for all your students and spent time folding each one. The next photos show the cover and inside of the brochure.
Brochure CoverBrochure Inside
Thank you! Your generous heart is helping your students stay safe!
We like to give a shout out to UDS Board Member, Adam Pederson, held a Facebook Live Music Fundraiser on May 15 with his friends, Brian Carlson and Luke Kuha of the Scoop (photo below). They played original music for two hours and raised $845 from their audience. Their efforts brought us closer to our goal. Thank you so much, Brian, Luke, and Adam for a successful fundraiser!
Finally, this fundraiser along with your outpouring of love helped raise $2,525 of the $3,000 goal since our last post. Thank you!
Do you realize how much your support makes a difference? This crisis has brought some challenges but it also shows the best of humanity. In fact, your support as a Classroom Hero for Liberian Children & Youth gives them hope that things will be better soon. This is why we continue to Thank you so much for including UDS students in your charitable giving!
It is important to note that your primary and vocational training students are eager to get back to school. Last Saturday, your 2019/2020 vocational training students were set to graduate (April 25) but we had to postpone until further notice. This was disappointing for them because they are so ready to start their journey as tradespeople and to earn a living. We hope things will improve soon to reschedule their important day.
Now a quick update on COVID-19 in Liberia: 152 confirmed cases (up from 76 the last newsletter), 18 people who have died (up from 7), and 45 people recovered (up from 7). Sadly, the number of people dying has increased but the number that recovered has been much greater. We continue to hope and pray for all of Liberia as they mitigate the complexities of this virus.
With that being said, we are so grateful for you making a generous contribution to our COVID-19 Handwashing Package for UDS Families campaign. You have raised $1,522 (51%) of the $3,000 goal. Thank you! We sent $1,500 to buy the first half of the supplies in Liberia to store at the center. Help us reach our goal so we can buy the remaining supplies and distribute them to the UDS families.
As a dedicated and generous Classroom Hero, we ask for your help to keep UDS families safe by donating $10 to support one family with soap and bleach for hand-washing. Many of the families don’t have clean running water and rely on a bucket with a spigot. Your gift of a COVID-19 Hand-washing Package will save the lives of your students and families. The package will include two dozen packets of powdered soap and two liters of bleach.
Our goal is to raise $3,000 in the next week to meet this urgent need. Please help by donating today and sharing our campaign. We have raised $470 so far from Facebook, CashApp ($UDStars), and checks! Thank you!
