The Joy of Training Youth to Succeed

As the clock ticks closer to the first vocational training classes at our training center, our Team Liberia is working fervently to finalize preparations! Our team is ecstatic to show you, our dedicated Star Supporter, their passion and resolve in helping to equip young Liberians with the skills they need to be self-sufficient. You are giving them the drive to ensure everything is set for the opening day on February 1st. 

Since the last post "Small Steps Lead to Big Goals", our team continues to:

1. Prepare the training center for the classes.
2. Purchase the "Tools to Success" (i.e. computers)
3. Hold a student orientation, and 
4. Share our story on Radio Advent's talk show 

Training Center Preparations: Our extremely talented volunteers have fixed the remaining two toilets (there are four bathrooms) and built removable partitions in our great hall for the individual classes. Our training center is hooked up to the city water supply, and work is needed to connect to the pipes in the building. Sanitation and conducive learning environments are critical for our students.

One of two new commodes replaced to ensure all four bathrooms are working.

Daude, who is a young volunteer, with skills in carpentry and masonry. 

Daude built the removable partitions in our great hall. 

Tools for Success: Our team started purchasing the equipment and materials that students will use for their practical training. Our computer training program draws the most students. This is why seven used desktops were purchased this week to increase our total to 16! Our goal is 20, if we can find a vendor who has available computers. Also, another essential item was purchased: a printer! Some of our courses will require worksheets as part of the learning tools. 

Your generosity purchased these desktops being installed in our computer lab.

UDS Co-Founder & Country Director, Kelvin Fomba, helping volunteers with the installation. 

Thank you for this much needed printer!

Student Orientation: Friday, January 27th, About 50 young men and women attended an orientation session at our training center. They were introduced to their instructors, toured the facility, received information on program rules and code of conduct, were provided the schedule, and much more. Currently, about 40 students have registered for our 8 courses--Electricity, Auto Mechanics, Plumbing, Computers, Interior Design, Cosmetology, Hotel Management and Catering. While there is interest for our two other courses: sewing and masonry, students have not paid their registration fee yet.

Kelvn Fomba welcoming young Liberian to our student orientation. 

Our instructors introduce themselves to the students, Kelvin will be training the auto mechanics. 

Computer students meet their instructor and learn about the expectation for this course. 

Talk Show: Also, on January 27, Kelvin Fomba (UDS Co-Founder & Country Director), Godfrey Solomon (Hossana Children's Foundation Co-Founder & UDS Volunteer), and Patrick Junusa, Jr. (UDS Volunteer) participated on Radio Advent's talk show. One of the broadcasters of this station, Thomas Jefferson, expressed an interest in partnering with UDS. He and others are interested in participating in our training classes to learn a skill while offering us free time on the airwaves to share our services. This radio station is walking distance from our center so this a perfect relationship!

Kelvin on the left and Godfrey on the right. 

Patrick on the left and Kelvin on the right. 

The Joy of Training Youth to Succeed was made possible by your compassion and selflessness! There is not enough ways for us to express our heartfelt appreciation and thanks for your continued to support in making Young Stars in Liberia shine brighter. 

Highlights from 2016 Christmas Celebration

In celebrating our successes, we are celebrating YOU, our highly valued Star Supporters! Uniting Distant Stars held our first-ever Christmas Celebration at our new training center for over 350 children and youth on December 26. 

The event ran from noon to 7PM (GMT) and it was a fun-filled day. The children performed skits, cultural dances, sang favorite songs, and shared funny stories. They were served a nourishing meal of Jollof Rice (Liberian favorite), Potato Salad and Chicken. They participated in a raffle draw for three prizes: 1st - Bag of Rice, 2nd - Package of Breakfast Food such as Quaker Oats, and 3rd - Backpack (made by our youth) filled with school Supplies.  

Our team of dedicated volunteers worked around the clock in preparing the food and activities for this highly appreciated event. A heartfelt Thanks to AB, Blessing, Deborah, Godfrey, Ishmail, Korlu, Korpu, Ma Siah, Mamie, Princess, Roseline, Saah, Umaru and all volunteers who made this celebration a joyous occasion!

Please take a moment and watch this short video showing the photos of our children and youth celebrating YOU!

Thank you for making 2016 our best year!!! 

You received a Thank You from Liberia

Uniting Distant Stars Liberian Co-Founder and Country Director Kelvin Fomba has a message to share to You, our valued Star Supporter.

Hello, UDS Team in the U.S. and around the world. First of all, we say, "thanks and appreciation for your wonderful support!" The Liberia Team has worked nonstop with the renovations because our old learning center can no longer accommodate the 250-plus students from around the city seeking our study classes. All schools are open right now, so the kids and youth are eager to start their study classes at our new learning center. Therefore, our volunteers and youth have joined hands to work hard at the new learning by cleaning, painting, and other finishing work in some parts of the building. 

Here are photos showing some of our scholarship students--Blessing, Deborah, Ishmael, Korlu, Korlu (yes there are two), and Rita--cleaning the floor along with one of their classmates.

Young Liberians showing their appreciation for your amazing support by cleaning the floor of our new learning center.

These young ladies are using brooms and rags to remove the white wash paint from the floor.

Your steadfast generosity give students like Rita a reason to smile while she works.

Your kindness and support provides hope to our youth that they will go the extra mile to prepare our learning center for opening.

Your compassion for Uniting Distant Stars youth empowers them to work together to clean their new learning center. 

Please stay tuned for our next update showing the slow but steady transformation of our new learning center.

You are appreciated and praised by our youth and volunteers in Liberia for making their lives better! 


Thank you for being a Super Star!

Read Reaching New Heights for Liberia's Children and Youth to learn more. 

Uniting Distant Stars Dime for Dreams Campaign

Hello, Uniting Distant Stars supporters and followers! Our organization has made a lot of progress this past year and it's all thanks to you! The UDS programs such as our school supply drives and learning center continue to grow, and so do the students who benefit from your generous gifts.

Today, Uniting Distant Stars is excited to introduce our new fundraising campaign: Dimes for Dreams. Through the continued help from our supporters, Dimes for Dreams will enable many of you to help contribute in your churches, offices, schools, and communities!

But, how will Dimes for Dreams work? Uniting Distant Stars is currently looking into ordering custom-made charity coin canisters. With these canisters, UDS will send them to all of our supporters who are willing to help further the education of our students in Liberia by reaching out to local businesses and schools who would be willing to place the coin canisters in an open space on their counters or front desks.

How will Dimes for Dreams help raise money? Each coin canister will cost UDS on average between $0.80 and $1.25 each. But, do you know how much money could be raised in each canister if it was full of dimes? Almost one HUNDRED dollars! That could mean expanding the UDS Learning Center's library, purchasing more computer equipment for the students or school supplies for our three schools we support, and that's only with one full can!

    

School Supply Drive                                                  UDS Learning Center Library

Uniting Distant Stars does not expect every canister to be filled with only dimes and quarters, or even be filled up at all. But, we can still raise a lot for our students with very little effort from our volunteer supporters! In order for UDS to make this work, we need any supporters who are willing to find places in their community who are willing to keep a Dimes for Dreams canister on their counters for a few months and then have the money raised be sent back with the canisters. If you are willing to help us out with this new project, please contact us today at info@unitingdistantstars.com!

Thank you to Adam Pederson, UDS Volunteer, for developing this campaign!

Calling for Volunteers for Taste of Liberia and Taking Applications for New Board Members

Volunteers Needed:

Uniting Distant Stars (UDS) is a non-profit sponsor of the 1st Annual Taste of Liberia on July 26 at The Lodge (Stage 81), Robbinsdale Town Center at 4080 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55442. UDS will have a booth at the event and we hope you will stop by to learn more about our programs in Liberia.

In gearing up for this big event, we are seeking volunteers in the following three areas:

1. Event Planning Committee: prepare promotional items for UDS booth.
2. Booth Volunteers: work at both in two-hour shifts from 1PM to 9PM.
3. Clean-up Team: Need two volunteers to help clean-up site at the close of the event.

If you are interested in helping, please complete our volunteer form and you will be contacted by our planning committee chair Florkime Paye.

Board Member Posting: 

Uniting Distant Stars is looking for global-minded individuals, who are interested in helping us fulfill our organization's mission to inspire and support youth. Since we are a growing organization, this is a working board, and board members are expected to assist in developing our operational capacity, outreach opportunities, fundraising and general promotion of UDS. We are seeking to add three more board members, who are based in Twin Cities Metro in Minnesota.

If you are interested in applying, please go to volunteer board member job posting at Minnesota Council of Nonprofits for more details. This posting closes on July 28, 2015.

Please contact us at info@unitingdistantstars.com, if you need more information about either opportunity.