(a) Storm Damage to School, March 26 2007
(1) Storm damage to computers, June 2006.
(2) Center for Youth Empowerment has taken over the Church of Christ
School at Buduburam.
(3) Liberia Report - Linus T Gedeo
Linus sends a preliminary report on his visit to Liberia.
(a) Slabe Sennay reported that on March 26th "the
school was badly hit by a heavy storm. The roof's of two of our
buildings were taken away by the storm, one of the buildings was
completely destroyed - fortunately no one was hurt"
The Church Of Christ gave the use of their hall so that students could
take their exams. Concern is being felt about the opening of these
classes next term.
A look at the weather report from Accra (45 km away) for Monday
26th March shows a drop in temperature from 30 degrees C to 20 degrees C
by midday, the wind velocity went up from 24 to 37 km/h and the
description read "Thunderstorms and rain"
Photos now in photo gallery .
(1) Slabe Sennay reported early in June that a storm
had damaged the roof and rain had ruined the 3 computers that which were
essential for running the computer familiarisation course.
The roof has been repaired and Dick Clifford has been able to send
AU$300 which represents about half the cost of s/hand computers, so it
should be possible to get an abbreviated course going again. This
donation does not affect the Scholarship fund which has collected double
the amount that was collected last year to be distributed at the
beginning of the next 3 terms.
Extra donations to obtain s/hand computers welcome. Click here for
details.
(2) School Take Over
Slabe Sennay, Executive Officer, Center for Youth Empowerment,
sends the following information about their agreement with the Church of
Christ to take over the running of the School at Buduburam Camp, Ghana.
which will be known as CENTRE FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SCHOOL
The take over will be effective from the new term commencing
10/1/06.
CYE hopes to get 300 children off the streets this term as the annex has
been completed. This has been possible thanks to the generosity of
"Australian Aid to Africa." and Sarah Angus, volunteer from
Queensland.
The services of the very experienced Principal will be retained
but staff will be reduced to 11 and they will have undergone the teacher
training program organised through the UNHCR. Other teachers may be
recruited.
The existing 150 students will have their fees reduced by over 50%
and it is hoped to expand the scholarship program. The Education Board
through the UNHCR is providing desks and promise to provide stationery.
The new fees will be 25,000 cedis for nursery to KII, 30,000
cedis for 1st to 3rd Grade and 40,000 cedis for 4th to 6th grade. Plans
are being made to provide computer education for 4th to 6th grade.
The CYE is responsible for the completion of the annexe and for
the payment of rent, 3 million cedis per annum to the church.
Slabe Sennay appeals for funds, Teacher Volunteers. Donations may
be made direct to Slabe Sennay or if you live in Australia to Dick
Clifford which will save on Western Union costs. For full details click
here.
AUSTRALIAN COMMENT
If Africa is to recover from its present troubles then it is
essential for all its children to be educated. The child now running
wild in Buduburam could become a great African leader - if he or she was
educated.
The Center for Youth Empowerment has run peace and
reconciliation programs, children's art classes, helped develop a public
Library, organised clean up campaigns, and administers a scholarship
fund which sends 70 children to school and much more. I am confidant
that they have the ability to run a school and make a success of it. But
they will need our help, there will be many expenses not yet thought of
and your donation now will give them a good start. If the CYE do a good
job at this school then it is likely they will be invited to Monrovia to
do the same there.
I have been concerned by reports from parents that they are
unable to feed their children adequately and therefore the children
cannot achieve the grades they should. This is a problem that local
authority needs to face, each child should receive one free meal a day
at school, they also need to improve the water supply by
providing piped clean water. While this would be financially difficult
it is essential for real education, it simply requires rearranged
priorities and a very determined push from public opinion.
A small contribution will do a great job in sending more
children to school, In addition, I suggest that we all try to influence
public opinion by writing letters to newspapers and government
representatives asking that priority be given to education world wide to
ensure every child is educated and fed and a lower priority be given to
weapons etc.
Donations may be made direct to Slabe Sennay or if you live in
Australia to Dick Clifford. Click here for full directions.
Dick Clifford
Adelaide,
South Australia.
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Report from Liberia -
Linus T Gedeo
Dear Grandfather,
It is my avid hope that this letter meets you in good health. Many
months have gone by since I wrote you. All blames go on the high cost of
internet here in Monrovia and the absence of it in the rural areas where
I spend most of my time visiting.
It is barely two years since I made my first visit to war ravaged
Liberia. In that visit I saw and reported the pains and destitutions of
the children, the women and the elderly; I reported the inhabitable
conditions at the heavily congested camps for the internally displaced
Liberians and Sierra Leonean Refugees. I also reported the damage done
to the infrastructure of the country. The scars of a destructive civil
war were visible from the port of entry through out the entire country.
The Robert’s International Airport looked like an abandoned steel
factory, the roads dilapidated and buildings that I used to admire,
destroyed. That was 2003.
I am back in Liberia again. The airport has not changed; the roads
are even worse and most of the people continue to live in abject
poverty. Nothing has changed, in essence. Since my arrival I’ve
devoted most of my time visiting the interior of the country and
displaced camps.
So far I have visited eight of the thirteen counties. I’m a witness
to the lack of health and educational facilities. I saw many cholera and
malaria cases that led to death. The very terrible road condition has
made the other counties inaccessible.
My visits to displaced camps were quite disappointing as I could not
get a single person to talk to or listen to me. The only person they
were willing to hear was someone who had gone there with relief food for
distribution. What else can the hungry ask for? I understood their
frustrations and quietly walked away since I could do nothing to help
immediately. Their foremost priority was survival. Anything else follows
once survival was assured.
My visit with the communities was however very fruitful. They all
realized the need to secure a better future for their children even in
these late hours, the need to rise up from the dust of war and redeem
the times lost. They all have one common appeal- that educational
facilities are made readily available and affordable. Most of the elders
promise to make land available for the construction of affordable
community schools.
Just before I sign out, let me bother to inform you of the political
drama that unfolded in the weeks of September and October 2005. As per
the peace agreement signed in 2003 at Accra Ghana, all parties to the
Liberian Civil War chose an interim leadership to rule for two years
with the prime mandate of disarming belligerent factions and preparing
the country for the holding of general elections. 2005 marked the
commencement of activities leading to the elections in September.
The battle for the presidency was among 22 candidates all claiming to
have the best formula to repair this war ravaged country. They spent too
much on campaigns. Most turned their headquarters into feeding camps
where anyone could go and eat anything for free. 21 of them are today
living with the painful fact that they did all in vain.
The victorious candidate, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a Harvard
University graduate with several national and international work
experiences, ranging from finance minister of Liberia to high positions
in the African Development Bank, UN, World Bank etc. The 66 years old
widow has crowned her successful career with the enviable and history
making title as Africa's first female president. Her main challenger was
the one time world best soccer star, George Weah. Though very popular,
he is a high school dropout with no knowledge or experience in
government. This is exactly what cost him the presidency. Considering
our ugly and destructive past and the challenging future I’m glad that
my fellow countrymen and women chose not to experiment.
CYE shall never cease to thank you for your unwavering support and
desire to help humanity.
Sincerely yours,
Linus T. Gedeo
AUSTRALIAN COMMENT
Most Liberian refugees want to return to Liberia and
support Africa's first female President, but there are problems:
accommodation? employment? food? travel?
The UNHCR reports assisted passages and claims many have returned but
there are many more who have not moved.
Bad as the conditions are at Buduburam conditions in Liberia could be
worse and refugees remember previous times when they returned to Liberia
but had to flee again as resurrections were renewed. Indeed a difficult
decision.
Dick Clifford
March 2006
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