You know your giving matters when a recipient pays it forward. During the early part of August, we started making masks for students. One of your graduates, Annita Johnney along with her instructor, Jerry Paypay, made over 500 masks. In fact, they used Kelvin Fomba’s (Liberian Co-Founder & Director) design he developed back in May.
Additionally, the funds used for this project were part of an employer matching gift. During our COVID-19 fundraiser, a $250 donation turned into a $500 matching gift. When the $500 arrived in late July, we immediately applied it to this project.
Finally, these photos show how your generosity inspired Annita to give back. The academic students started wearing theirs in August. We hope the vocational students will wear theirs later this month. Thank you for helping a graduate Pay it forward!
Your graduate , Annita busy making masks for Uniting Distant Stars Students. Your Seventh Grade Students wearing their masks made by Annita Johnney.
On Saturday, June 6, 2020, the UDS Board and Co-Founders met to discuss this navigation into the new normal. We weighed out the options for your vocational training students, who would have graduated on April 13, 2020.
We quickly determined the best course of action was to give them their diplomas without a ceremony.
By now, most of us have seen the photos and videos of graduates around the world forgoing their ceremonies for being celebrated at home or in some other creative fashion. For UDS leadership, it made sense to give them their diplomas so they can start their career or entrepreneurship paths.
On Wednesday, June 10, the UDS Instructors, staff and Students attended a general meeting to discuss the plan for their graduation. They provided their input and asked if they could have their photo in their gown added to their diploma. What a simple request that can be granted.
The class of 2019/2020 has about 80 students ready to graduate. About half need to pay their tuition with balances from $5 to $20. They asked to give them until the end of June to settle their arrears. Everyone agreed to these terms.
Graduation Plan
The graduation plan is to rent two to three gowns for the students’ diploma photos. The diplomas will be printed and placed in a cover with the UDS logo and graduating class info. Each student will be notified of the time when they can pick up their diplomas.
Even though your students hoped to have a commencement ceremony, they are overjoyed with being able to receive their diplomas. In fact, the next day one of your students in both computer and hotel management courses shared her school pride on Facebook. Fanta Konneh gave us permission to share her posts with you.
Your student Fanta’s post with her fellow Computer StudentsYour student Fanta’s post with her fellow Hotel Management Students
While it is not clear when schools will reopen in Liberia, we have started our planning for Post-COVID-19. We continue to re-evaluate our safety standards from the Ebola crisis that included a handwashing station and taking temperatures before entering the building. Furthermore, our primary students learn about hygiene in their health & science class at the beginning of the school year. Without a doubt, Ebola gave us the template for our current safety standards.
Now we need to add masks to these standards. Kelvin Fomba spent a few weeks studying various face mask designs to get some ideas. He enlisted our tailoring instructor and one student to test out his concept of blending some different designs.
The masks below have three layers: decorative material for the outside, interlining for the middle layer, and soft fabric for the inside so it feels good on the face. Also, they have foam where it fits over the nose to prevent any pinching. The brown and white mask has two elastic bands to fit around the head and the other two have strings to tie. Kelvin shared how they are comfortable and breathable when wearing them. Last but not least, they are washable.
From this prototype, we plan to enlist our tailoring department to masks for all students. This way we can ensure everyone’s safety when social distancing is not possible.
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!
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!
