One of our strategic goals is building partnerships with organizations in supporting Liberian Youth. This year we became a member of the Liberian Business Association (LIBA) to network and bring more awareness of our work. LIBA’s Executive Director & Consul General of Minnesota’s Liberian Consulate, Jackson George (in photo), visited our center in July 2018. He saw how hungry the students were towards learning a trade. However, he also noticed that some of them struggled with paying their tuition even after our discount.
Last year, he requested that we submit a proposal for a scholarship fund to help enrolled students struggling with their payments. So, we laid out the criteria on who will be eligible and submitted this request in January. The LIBA board approved the request in July.
This year, they placed a jar within their office and started collecting funds. We received the first donation on November 14 of $119. In the next week or two, Kelvin Fomba (UDS Co-Founder & Director) and his staff will review eligible students to determine who will receive these funds.
Thank you so much for LIBA Members and Office Visitors for contributing to this important scholarship drive!
When you invest in young people of any nation, you are developing the leaders of tomorrow. Your continued support provides leadership development with our youth. In July, the students elected their student council from a field of interested candidates. They planned an installment program for their new leaders and to celebrate their accomplishments in their given courses.
As they were planning their program, Jackson George (Consul General of the Minnesota Liberian Consulate) contacted us about visiting our center during his trip to Liberia. The original plan was to have him visit on July 30, but this became a holiday for the senatorial election, so the students decided to invite him to their program so he could endorse their leadership and be their guest speaker.
Jackson enjoyed being part of this program and meeting our students. When asked in an email if he had anything to share about his visit he responded, “I just want people to know about the great work you are doing to help the people of Liberia. It was a learning and exciting process for me.” Everyone is very grateful to Jackson for making this a successful and memorable program.
The program started with the students from the various courses showcasing what they have learned during the first third of their term.
Your students showcasing what they have learned (left to right, top to bottom): Catering, Computer, Cosmetology, Electrician, Plumbing, and Tailoring students
Next, Jackson shared motivational words with the students about the benefits of learning a trade and also how to use social media to share what they are learning and to connect with people.
Jackson George, Consul General of Minnesota Liberian Consulate, inspiring UDS students to achieve their goals and make a difference
Jackson followed his talk by endorsing our new Student Council who will be serving until they graduate next year.
Congrats to the 2018/2019 Uniting Distant Stars Student Council!
New Student Council (left to right): Teddy Jr, Ngayenga (President), Caraton M. Mahn (Vice President), Sylvester T. Yeah Jr (Secretary-general), Emmanuel L. Tarr (Financially secretary), Abraham C. Morgan (advisor), Zawida Gaylee (Treasurer), & Aujustine Kouadio (Chaplain)
