The current student body of the UDS Vocational Training Center (UDSVTC) completed their third month in July. Their enthusiasm to learn makes you smile. Furthermore, their ability to encourage their fellow students when they are feeling frustrated touches your heart. In fact, this group of students is unique compared to the previous two cohorts. They created a chat room on Messenger to promote unity and share ideas out of the classroom. Your students’ hunger for learning is 24/7.
Your catering students made delicious pancakes topped with natural honey. Frank Tugbeh, UDS Catering Instructor posted these photos in our Facebook group and instantly your tastebuds start watering. What makes these pancakes even sweeter? The joy of success expressed in the beautiful smiles of our students.
Your students proudly displaying their pancakes topped with natural honey.
Your electrician students cannot get enough practical training because they are asking for more. In addition to their eagerness, this class has grown to over 20 students. Their instructor, Boakai Dillion shared these photos on his Facebook page as they continue to learn how to work with electricity. As you can see, these dedicated and focused students practice their skills.
Your electrician students are dedicated to learning this important trade that lights the world.
As we close this post, we hope more of our instructors and students continue to share photos and stories from their experiences at UDSVTC, so we can pass on to you.
Did you enjoy Elijah Kotee’s garden tour from our last newsletter? Your investment in his training in both catering and permaculture design certification gave him the inspiration to take the necessary steps forward realizing his dreams.
Your continued support gives more than the gift of learning a valuable skill but also gaining the confidence to succeed in their career goals. You can take great pride in what your generosity is doing for Liberian Youth!
As July winds down, we are in the final days of accepting new students for our vocational training courses. Your current students actively recruited new students. They helped get a female plumbing student which we have had one in all three cohorts. Also, they recruited our very first female electrician student (included in the photos below wearing the yellow shirt). During the next month, our newest students will receive extra attention in the next month to get them caught up with their fellow students.
Your electrician students at work.
Our UDS Academy Teachers opened a summer vacation school to help our students prepare for the upcoming academic year. Since this school was created by our team last year, they are committed to providing our children with quality education and help them advance to the next grade. Sylvester Yeah Jr. shared these photos of his students. He also graduated on April 13 with a Diploma in Computers.
Sylvester Yeah Jr. teaching students during summer vacation school
Your compassion and support of Liberian Youth allow them to dream big!
Reliable and uninterrupted electricity improves the quality of education for students at our training center. On June 12, Taleance T Tokpah (the owner of T & T Solar Tech) spent the day teaching 18 electrician students about solar power and giving them real experience with installing it. Please read the caption of each photo to know what they experienced and gained from this opportunity.
Your Electrician Students arrive at the center to learn about solar power.
Your electrician students beaming with excitement on learning about solar power from Taleance T Tokpah (lower right).
Your students working together to put up the ladders for the solar panel installation.
Your student moves up the ladder as he carries the solar panel. The ladder protects the zinc roof.
Your students and Mr. Tokpah (Tech) working together to secure the solar panels.
Your students demonstrate their willingness to dive in with learning this valuable trade.
Your students, under Mr. Tokpah’s (Tech) supervision, wire the computer lab to connect with solar power.
Your students threading the wire through the pipe that will be part of the control area of the computer lab.
Mr. Tokpah (Tech) explaining on the controller works in supplying solar energy to the room.
Mr. Tokpah (Tech) explaining to our students how solar will power the computers in our lab.
Your student testing a computer that is now powered by solar!
As you can see, solar also powers our students in learning renewable energy with this practical experience with Taleance T Tokpah (the owner of T & T Solar Tech). Your generous support made this learning opportunity possible for your electrician students. Although the current economic situation caused us to miss our mark in achieving 100% renewable energy, we did connect half our computer lab. Thank you for being a Classroom Hero for Liberian Youth!
With graduation just around the corner, it is important to pause and highlight what you helped Uniting Distant Stars accomplish in the first quarter of 2019:
Over 40 participates received Permaculture Design Certification training in January. Two of the graduates implemented the tools of this training to be self-sufficient. A young woman returned to her family farm in Bomi County about 2 hours from Monrovia, because she saw the value of Permaculture training in providing income for her family. Another man (see photo below), who already had gardens in the Monrovia area, realized how he could produce a better yield and provide more for his family.
UDS Electrician Students received real experience with the solar installation with the guidance of the vendor/technician. The students securely placed the solar panels on the roof and installed the wire connection from the panels to electrify our center. Most of our center is powered with solar except the computer lab.
UDS Kickball and Football Teams brought home 1st and 2nd place victories respectively on March 30.
Nelson Borlay (right) shows Kelvin Fomba (left-UDS Co-Founder) & Bruce Blair (center-SLFND Trainer) his garden during the Permaculture training in January 2019
Thank you for your continued and generous support in equipping youth with the knowledge and skills they need to realize their potential!
This past January, the students enrolled in Uniting Distant Stars electrician program assisted in installing the first stage of the long-awaited solar panels of the learning center in Monrovia. With the assistance of Taleance T Tokpah (who was the vendor from T & T Solar Tech and a technician himself) guiding them along the way, our students were able to bring the learning center to a new level of independence where it will not rely as heavily on the city’s unreliable grid nor a diesel generator.
Your students working with Mr. Tokaph installing solar panels on our center’s roof
Generator
The number of times after hours, work was done in the dark became numerous due to power outages. The cost of diesel also meant the generator was left for class hours and emergency use. Having a kitchen, coursework in electrical work and a newly updated computer lab are nothing without the power to make them run. But now they have that power.
Future students will not only be able to easily learn how solar panels work but also how to install and maintain them. Besides the usual skills that have been taught in our electrician course, the hands-on solar panel experience will give our students an additional skill that will set them apart when they are seeking full-time employment upon graduation in a field that currently does not have as many people with expertise in the growing field of renewable energy.
The solar panels also now show how easy it is to provide clean, environmentally-friendly power that lights up and powers many of the essentials needed to run a place of learning that provides for over 150 students and staff. It does not cover all of our energy needs but is a perfect example of what can be done on a modest budget to help the environment in the long run if done on a larger scale.
Our computer lab’s lights are powered by solar.
As discussed previously, these solar panels were mostly the result of generous donors who attended the Shine a Light on Education fundraiser in Manhattan last October. Uniting Distant Stars was able to surpass the initial goal of $5,000 and unite more “Stars” in showing the importance of supporting trade skills to improve local communities on the other side of the world. Without them, and supporters like you, our many students, their families, and the communities they live in would not be able to shine to their brightest abilities.
With the beginning of this new year, Uniting Distant Stars is counting its blessings and does not plan to slow down on its progress of expanding programs and opportunities for students in Liberia. With your help, we can continue to expand the number of solar panels at the learning center and become 100% renewable and self-reliant.
You can help us reach our Phase 2 goal of $3,040 by joining two supporters who have already donated $1,025! Please donate today to complete our solar project. Thank you for Lighting Up the lives of Liberian Youth!
UDS launched our student recruitment by participating in three radio talk shows: Radio Advent (93.7) on February 12, United Methodist Radio (98.7) on February 13, and Truth FM (96.1) on February 15. For each talk show, our team consisted of students and staff to explain our program and the benefits of enrolling as a student.
Radio Advent (93.7) – February 12
This station, located on the Old Road, is near our center. We developed a relationship with Radio Advent the first year we opened our center. Because of this relationship, they looked forward to putting our team on the air, including Kelvin Fomba (Co-Founder & Director), Godfrey Solomon (Administrator/Registrar), Boakai Dillion (2018 Graduate & Assistant Electrician Instructor), and Myrte Toe (Hotel Management Student).
Boakai Dillion (left) tells the listeners how his UDS experience is a blessing. He shared how he received contracts as an electrician before he graduated in March 2018. He returned as the assistant instructor to help with training our current students. (Godrey Solomon on top-right and Kelvin Fomba bottom-right)
Myrtle Doe (left) explained how her passion is to work in the hotel industry. She is grateful for UDS for offering this program. She shared her experience serving our guests from Sierra Leone Foundation for New Democracy-SLFND during the Permaculture training.
United Methodist Radio (98.7) – February 13
This station is in the neighboring suburb, Sinkor. We established a continued relationship with them since 2017. For this show, our team included Kelvin Fomba, Godfrey Solomon, Boakai Dillion, and Adjusting Kouadio (Computer Student).
Adjusting Kouadio (right) shared with the listeners how she used to feel like there was no hope but this changed for her when enrolling with the UDS computer course. She expressed her gratitude for how much she learned. She then encouraged the youth listening to come and learn at the UDS trade school. (Kelvin Fomba on left and Boakai Dillion at center).
Truth FM (96.1) – February 15
Friday, we went further away from our center to Duport Road in Paynesville, one of the largest suburbs of Monrovia. This talk show allowed listeners to call in and ask questions of our team: Kelvin Fomba, Godfrey Solomon, Amed Saah Blama (Hotel Management Instructor), and Abel Kabba (Plumbing Student).
Abel Kabba at right gave an inspiring talk about how his life transformed from living on the streets to learning a valuable trade at our vocational training center. He encouraged other youth in similar situations to know they have a choice for a better life by coming to UDS and learning a skill.
Your gracious and generous support inspires and motivates our students to succeed in their training. Please watch theses three short videos of Adjusting, Boakai, and Abel as they share their stories to the listeners. Thank you!
Adjusting Kouadio (UDS Computer Student), encourages youth to have hope and enroll in the UDS vocational training school.
Boakai Dillion, UDS 2018 Graduate & Assistant Electrician Instructor, shares how much UDS vocational training program transformed his life.
Abel Kabba (UDS Plumbing Student) shares his story how vocational training changed his life.
