Your Students’ Final Projects

Your Students’ Final Projects

Unbelievable! The final month of the 2018/2019 term closes on February 28. Indeed, your continued support of young men and women gave them the means to complete their final projects. This article focuses on your cosmetology and plumbing students.

First, your cosmetology students worked diligently in performing facials, manicures, pedicures, and hair styling. As a result of several hours of practicals over the past year, they demonstrated their readiness to provide this service to their instructor and others.

Your cosmetology students demonstrating their skills for the final project. 

Next, your plumbing students applied their learning in installing pipes and fixtures in their lab. As a witness to their development, you know that they possess the grit and dedication to be successful plumbers.

Your plumbing students apply their knowledge & skills in their final project.

Clearly, your generous support as a Classroom Hero inspires and motivates Liberian Youth to fully take on the opportunity of becoming skilled cosmetologists and plumbers. Thank you for making this possible!

Thank You For Extraordinary 2018!!!

Thank You For Extraordinary 2018!!!

Your continued generous support gave Uniting Distant Stars their best year ever! As a result of your efforts, you accomplished the following:

  1. Raised $25,426! This is a record for our small organization. Compared to last year, you raised 28% more.
  2. Increased our Monthly Donors from three to seven. Also, please consider our Star Champion Monthly Donor Program,
  3. Graduated 75 vocational training students on March 24, 2018.
  4. Supported 150 vocational training students enrolled in one of eight one-year courses.
  5. Sponsored 17 academic scholarship students attending primary and secondary schools.
  6. Sponsored 5 vocational training students enrolled in our program.
  7. Supported 35 youth to attend the 2019 Permaculture Design Certification Training.

Furthermore, your passionate commitment to giving Liberian Youth knowledge and skills is a worthwhile investment. Here is a video showing your tremendous accomplishments in 2018.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfTgpKuam6c[/embedyt]

By the way, this video features the music “Education is Better than Silver & Gold” written and sung by one of our former computer students, Enoch Daniel Tarr. Additionally, Ernest Norris Jr. created and published the video. Thank you to these aspiring young Liberian Artists!

To conclude this extraordinary year, Liberian Youth give you their heartfelt thanks! 

Why Should I Hire You Without Any Experience?

Why Should I Hire You Without Any Experience?

How often were you asked this question when you were applying for your first job? There are some people not willing to give a young person a chance, but you have made a commitment to provide Liberian Youth with the experience they need to demonstrate what they know. Your continued investment is not only giving them the materials, equipment, and tools to learn a trade career but also allowing them a chance to go into the field and apply their skills. 

Our committed and dedicated instructors are constantly looking for opportunities to give our students real experience. Two weeks ago, Emmanuel Somah (plumbing instructor) received a contract to install the pipes in a new home being built outside of Monrovia. Our students laid the pipes in two bathrooms and the kitchen. They will return in a few weeks to build the septic tank and install the fixtures. 

Your students installing pipes for a new home.

Your support made it possible for young men and a woman to gain valuable experience by applying their skills in a real home and be compensated for their efforts. It is important to teach our students that their work has worth. 

Your students applying their skills with installing pipes 2 bathrooms & kitchen.

We hope that more people will give our students a chance to demonstrate their abilities by awarding contracts to our institution. Through your generous giving, you helped build our learning labs where our students practice their skills during each class period. This is why they are eager and ready to do the work in any setting to achieve the experience needed to be hired. 

Your students received real experience and now admire their work.
UDS Student’s Heartfelt Thank You

UDS Student’s Heartfelt Thank You

By Abel Baimba Kabba, Plumbing Student

Thank you very much for doing great things that you aren’t even noticing! May God bless you and see you through.

Thank you very much for helping us in ways that you may never understand. You have really changed my life with your sincere effort and support to help upgrade our status here. 

We, the beneficiaries, are saying thank you very much! May God bless you and your families! I am one of the benefiting students in UDSVTC (Uniting Distant Stars Vocational Training Center).

My name is Abel Baimba Kabba, a plumbing student.

I’d like to share photos of our recent class project. We were doing our practicals and demonstrating the way upstairs building plumbing is done (photo at left).

You Give Opportunities for Liberian Youth to Learn

You Give Opportunities for Liberian Youth to Learn

By Kevin Nah, Marketing Volunteer

From all of the board members and volunteers of Uniting Distant Stars, we would like to express our immense gratitude for all of our donors. This past year we were able to accomplish many things. From the opening of our Vocational Training Center to the many students who graduated from the program, your belief and support in our vision have helped young people use their new skills to change the world around them. We would now like to share with you more information on how Uniting Distant Stars has been impacting the of youth in Liberia.

Auto Mechanics Course

With this course, students are taught a craft that they can use to not just help themselves but also help others. In the beginning, students study how to identify different parts of machines that they will use later on. During the course, students also master different maintenance services such as oil changes, repairing brakes, and overhauling engines. Both young men and women take part in this course and gain knowledge that allows them to create opportunities for themselves.

Catering Course

Students that have enrolled in this course have been able to learn many valuable lessons. At the start, they learn the basics of food preparation and how it is important to ensure all the necessary equipment and ingredients are together before they move forward with a recipe. They also go over safety procedures to ensure that everyone is safe while learning. During this course, students are able to practice making different baked goods along with full course meals. An important aspect of this program is teaching them skills that they can use to be independent. In the end, students can apply what they have learned by having their own catering businesses or any other opportunities they find.

Computer Course

Because we live in a technological age, computer skills are important to have. This course focuses on teaching students how to use a computer for various functions. During the course of the year, the students have studied about the many components of a computer along with using Microsoft software. They are also taught basic typing skills and use what they have mastered to not only browse the internet but also complete online job applications.

Cosmetology Course

While enrolled in this particular course students obtain many valuable skills to be successful in this area of expertise. The students gain knowledge on how to properly cut hair and master the art of plaiting (braiding) hair. In addition, they are taught how to perform both manicures and pedicures as part of the curriculum. The students apply their skills by giving free haircuts and other treatments to kids within the community. Seasoned students recruit clients and earn money as they provide services to cover the cost of hair and other materials.

Electrician Course

As students enroll in the courses at Uniting Distant Stars, they practice different crafts that empower them to acquire new skills to help lead them into their bright futures. Students studying to become electricians begin by covering the basics about what electricity is. Then, throughout the course, students go over many parts and tools. To showcase all they have studied, they work on projects such as installing lights, outlets, and switches.

Hotel Management Course

This course gives students the opportunity to gain knowledge about an industry that is very prominent throughout the world. In the beginning, students absorb information about the hotel industry and the many operations that are a part of working in hotel management. They are also trained in customer service and how to treat guests properly. To help them gain real-world experience, students are given the opportunity to intern at two local hotels where they can further sharpen their skills.

Plumbing Course

The courses available at UDS are diverse and offer youth many opportunities to enhance their previous skills and learn new ones. The plumbing course allows students to learn about plumbing systems and how they function. Students understand the importance of the sanitation and how plumbing systems function. Students also learn about the different tools involved and apply their knowledge by installing pipes and other commonly used fixtures such as sinks, tubs, and commodes within the community.

Tailoring Course

Like many of the other courses, students use what they have learned to not only better themselves but also their communities. As students study the trade of tailoring, they learn how to make clothes and other items. Whether they’re learning how to properly use machinery or they are working with fabric and stitching, students are gaining knowledge in a skill that can be used to benefit everyone.

As you can see, within the span of our one-year courses students are encouraged to study many skills and put them into action. No matter what circumstances they come from, each student strives to make the most of their opportunity. Once again, we want to show our appreciation to our donors and those who support our work. You are not just investing for the future of these youth but towards the future of Liberia.

Kevin Nah is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota Duluth with degrees in Cultural Entrepreneurship & Hispanics Studies. He is currently a Communications Intern at Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). Kevin service with Uniting Distant Stars started in 2017 and he previously wrote an inspiring article, “This Could Have Been Me“.

Congrats to our UDS Student Council

Congrats to our UDS Student Council

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)