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. 

Small Steps Lead to Big Goals

When you set a goal, it is always recommended to outline the small steps you plan to take, in order to bring it to fruition. Somewhere along your journey, it's natural to question when will you reach your destination; but, if you just keep walking, you will eventually see how every brave, thoughtful step worked together to bring your goal to realization. 

You walked with us each step of the way, as we strove to turn our dreams into a reality for these last three and half years. The benevolence you've shown for the children and youth in Liberia has allowed us to Reach New Heights in 2016, with acquiring and opening the Uniting Distant Stars Training Center. Now, as we move into 2017, you have provided the opportunity to launch our Vocational Training Classes, starting February 1st. 

Godfrey is holding one of the shirts selected for the vocational training students' uniforms.

We extend a whole-hearted "Thanks" for your unyielding generosity during our year-end campaign. You collectively raised $3,520 for our Tools for Success Campaign. Another $1,315 was added for the continuation of our Backpacks for Peace program, since sewing is one of the vocational training classes being offered at our center. This week our team in Liberia will be purchasing these Tools for Success to ensure our eager students benefit from our classes. 

During the first three weeks of 2017, Team Liberia has been busy with prepping for the upcoming classes. On Saturday, January 14, they held an informational program for students who passed the entrance exam. They invited people from the community and raised $110 in donations. $100 came from one of the guests, and $10 from a student who registered for classes; what a vote of confidence it is to collect this student donation! 

UDS Youth Leader Princess gives the opening address at the informational program.

You have provided a pathway for these young people to learn valuable skills.

Mrs. Audrey Johnson, who works at the airport donated $100 and gave an inspirational talk to our youth. 

The $110 donation was quickly invested in the ongoing renovations of our training center. They enclosed the open pathway between the property fence and the wall of building to create more usable space for our programs. They roofed it and cast the floor. 

Our team enclosed this pathway between the fence and outer wall of the building. 

UDS Co-Founder and Country Director, Kelvin Fomba, casting the floor for this new space. 

Our volunteers bringing in the sand and cement which will be hand-mixed before it is poured.

Thank you for staying the course with us, as we carry forward on our journey toward providing young Liberians with education and vocational training opportunities! 

Did you take secondary school shop classes?

​Your continued support is making a huge impact on the lives of children and youth in Liberia! Your investment in their knowledge and skill building at our training center is an investment into their futures as builders, educators, innovators and leaders. You have raised $2,090 (38%%) towards our goal of $5,500. 

You still can double your impact with our Facebook Fundraiser today. Click this link and make your end-of-year tax-deductible gift. Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar: Your $10 donation becomes $20. Your $25 donation becomes $50. Your $100 donation becomes $200.

Your generosity puts books in our library, computers in our lab, and sewing machines in our classroom. 

 ​

Our headline today "Did you take secondary school shop classes?" is the question relating to why Uniting Distant Stars is providing vocational training programs. Depending on your generation, you may have benefited by shop classes in junior and senior high schools. You were given hands-on skills on how to use woodworking machines like lathes and saws. Or you may have had an opportunity to work on machinery gaining mechanical skills. During the first of half of the 1980s, I had wood shop classes in 7th and 8th grades and power mechanics class in my senior year. These skills carried out through my adult life when I had to install a new faucet in my kitchen and bathroom sinks or do minor repairs around my home. Also, I am one of countless students who learn best with our hands. We loved to hear how these classes benefited you so we can share with our young students in Liberia.

In talking with one of our donors Branko Tambah, who grew up in Liberia. He had the opportunity to attend the only vocational training high school--​Booker Washington Institute (BWI)--in Kakata (city in Margibi County). He shared that no other junior or high schools in Liberia provided shop classes for their students. Through his courses at BWI, he learned how to do many things with his hands to where he is now pursuing his own business construction in Minnesota. ​

Booker Washington Institute is named after "Educator Booker T. Washington was one of the foremost African-American leaders of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, founding the Tuskegee Normal and Industril Institute, now known as Tuskegee University (citation). Photo taken by Heather during 2011 mission trip.

​Our co-founder and country director, Kelvin Fomba, in Liberia recently shared how the trades make our lives better. He said, "Who built the roads you drive on? who built the buildings you sleep, work and worship in?, who keeps your car working?, who maintains the plumbing and electricity?" The answer is the same...someone who was trained in a vocational trade.

Uniting Distant Stars will start in January our first vocational training courses at our new center. As you will recall, our youth put their hands together this year to get this new center open. As you see in the photo collage below, they cleaned it, they painted the interior and exterior walls, and they helped with some of the renovations, and cleaned it again after the work was done. They wanted to show you how important our programs mean to them. They love having the opportunity to learn valuable skills to either seek employment or entrepreneurship. 

Your commitment inspired our youth to help prepare our new training center for opening in 2016.

​Our year-end campaign is increasing the materials to provide for this training in January. Please help young Liberians learn a trade by donating online and match your gift through our Facebook Fundraising (click here) or send a check payable to Uniting Distant Stars at:

Uniting Distant Stars

4010 Lawndale LN N

Plymouth, MN 55446

Thank you whole-heartily for being a valuable Star Supporter!!!

You make everything STARtacular!

You are moving mountains with your heartwarming generosity! You made #GivingTuesday a remarkable success. Not only did you help unlock the matching gift of $500, but you raised another $320. In other words, you raised $1,320 (24%) towards our $5,500 goal.

It gets even better! One of our fabulous board members, Miriam Monono, started a fundraiser for UDS on Facebook, sponsored by the Network for Good, to raise a $1,000 that will be matched dollar for dollar by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Facebook is waiving the fees to make your online donations. Six donors raised $215 within the first three days. You can double your generous gift by clicking on this link and the blue Donate button as shown in the screen shot below. This fundraiser is in conjunction with our year-end campaign. Your holiday gift-giving for children & youth in Liberia can have a greater impact when it is doubled...raise a $1,000 to give $2,000 to provide educational and vocational training resources for children & youth in Liberia.

Also, we hope to see you this Thursday (December 8, 2016) at Ten Thousand Villages for their charitable event on Uniting Distant Stars​'​ behalf. Please stop by between 5PM and 8PM to shop for fabulous gifts, enjoy a treat on us, and learn more about our programs. For all in-store shopping during this event, UDS will receive a percentage​​;​ 10% of sales up to $150 and 20%​,​ if sales total more than $150. The store is located at 520 Selby Ave, St. Paul, MN 55102.

Finally, this post will close with a simple prayer request. Our team in Liberia has recruited 120 students for our January vocational training courses with a third signed up for computer training course. We have one young man, who signed up for the masonry course. Each course needs at least 10 students to offer it. He was given the option to select another​ ​one. He declined and said, "this his heart's desire". How can ​we refuse someone's dream? So we ask for your prayers to help us recruit nine other students who share this young man's passion. 

You are celebrated for making everything ​​STARtacular for children & youth in Liberia!!!

Spreading the news about your generosity & Save the Date: 11/17/16

You are the reason behind all our successes this year. We celebrate your gracious efforts everyday. Liberian children & youth are happy because of your generous heart!

Spreading the news: Uniting Distant Stars Co-Founder & Country Director, Kelvin Fomba, was interviewed on United Methodist Radio 98.7 FM in Liberia on Friday 11/11/16. He was accompanied by two of our youth leaders Roseline Sonday & Patrick Junusa Jr. and shared on what we accomplished with your help and where you will take us next. 

​Left to Right: Kelvin's interview at radio station; Patrick at his college graduation earlier this year; & Roseline wearing one of the backpacks she helped make.

Today, a local artist painted the UDS logo on our new center. Adding our brand to our building is another way to spread the news about your unyielding support of Liberian children & youth.

Your generosity is making a different for children & youth in Liberia.

Save the date: Thank you for being a valued part of the Uniting Distant Stars Community.

Each year, generous Star Supporters like you celebrate Give to the Max Day by making your online donation on GiveMN.org. Your generosity on this makes a difference far beyond the 24-hour giving event.

​Your generosity on Give to the Max Day will provide Liberian children & youth with the "Tools for Success". Thank you!

Please join us on November 17, 2016, for Give to the Max Day and help us continue to change lives through providing education & vocational training. 

Your donation on Give to the Max Day also may help UDS receive an additional donation of $1,000. How? On November 17, every gift made on GiveMN.org will be entered into an hourly drawing for a $1,000 GiveMN Golden Ticket to be awarded to a non-profit organization. Your gift of $10 or more could instantly turn into an $1,000! 

And, here's the really exciting part: Two donations made on GiveMN.org during the Give to the Max Day campaign will be randomly selected to receive a $10,000 Super-Sized GiveMN Golden Ticket! 

The more gifts we generate on GiveMN.org during Give to the Max Day, the more our chances increase to receive that additional 10,000 donation. Image what we could do with $10,000 to help children & youth in Liberia.

Our goal is to raise $5,500, and you can help us reach it!

Your generous gift will buy additional copies of books for our library, 12 more used computers for our lab, and 8 sewing machines for our training program. These are the "Tools for Success" needed for Liberia's children & youth to get the upper hand in developing knowledge and skills. 

​Your fabulous gift will add more books to our library (left), additional computers for our lab (center) & sewing machines for our training program (right).

Be sure to mark your calendar and make your gift on November 17 by visiting our campaign page "Tools for Success: Books, Computers, & Sewing Machines" at GiveMN.org.

Thank you for being our valued Shining Stars!

Building Community One Star at a Time

As a valued Star Supporter, your continued generosity inspires our team in Liberia to move forward with our vision and fulfill the dreams of Uniting Distant Stars children and youth. You are Uniting with Distant Stars in Denmark, Liberia, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. You are part of this growing stellar community that is educating and equipping young Liberians with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed in life. You have united with other stars to form a Constellation of Possibilities for young Liberians.

You probably have not realized this, but you are a Super Star for our children and youth in Liberia. Whether you support our learning center, school supply drive, youth exchanges or sponsor a scholarship student, you are changing the lives of young Liberians for the better. Our youth are extremely grateful for your efforts!

While our focus for the last few months was on school supplies, our team in Liberia have been busy with renovations of the new learning center. As mentioned earlier, your efforts inspires our all-volunteer team in Liberia. They wrote letters to individuals and organizations in Liberia to raise funds. They received $600 that helped complete replacing the roof. UDS co-founder and country director Kelvin Fomba has been making contributions to finish the ceiling repairs, start painting in the interior, and making furniture for students. Our volunteers have helped with the cleaning and carpentry work. The following photos show the progress from the last month:

You give UDS strength! Our volunteer completing final touches of the roof. 

You give UDS resourcefulness! Kelvin (at left) resting after making tables for young children attending our study classes.

You give UDS dedication! This room is being prepared for the library.

You give UDS focus! Young volunteers replacing the ceiling tile in the main area of  the learning center. 

You give UDS motivation! Kelvin is white washing the ceiling of the main area for the study & computer classes. 

You give UDS determination! Kelvin in the back white washing the ceiling while another volunteer rests.

You give UDS hope! Young volunteers fixing the doors. 

You give UDS encouragement! Kelvin painting the walls of the main area gold.

You give children & youth in Liberia a brighter future! 

You have helped build our community one star at a time. As you will see in the coming weeks, the UDS new learning center will open on October 29th. We will start with our computer & study classes, and library as we continue to complete the rest of the renovations, purchase needed equipment and supplies, and seek funders to employ Liberians as teachers, trainers and support staff for this center. 

Thank you for your compassionate service to children and youth in Liberia!

Read additional posts on how we acquired this new center and how invested our youth are in this venture of learning. 

• Reaching New Heights for Liberia's Children and Youth
• You received a Thank You from Liberia

Reaching New Heights for Liberia's Children and Youth

2016 has been a phenomenal year for Uniting Distant Stars. Our learning center has become the "hub" for children and youth seeking educational assistance and vocational training. Since introducing the computer lab in March, word got out, and youth are coming to our site from several different areas throughout Monrovia to receive this training. Without a doubt, we have outgrown our current site with serving over 100 students. 

Youth attending introduction computer class in UDS Library.

A few months ago, our co-founder and country director, Kelvin Fomba, found a building less than a five-minute walk from our current location. The property had not been occupied for two years, the building was deteriorating, and its grounds had become the community trash dump. After several weeks of negotiations, the landlord agreed to a 5-year lease for $7,500 and required half down to secure it. After sharing this opportunity with one of our long-time donors in Minnesota, they generously donated $3,750 on May 22. Two weeks later we received the lease agreement and keys to the building. The remaining half of the lease must be paid after the renovations are complete. 

This is our next challenge.

The building had stood empty for two years. Along with a leaking roof, parts of the interior were heavily damaged by water. The rainy season started about April/May and the roof became the number one priority. The question was how?

However, we have been blessed to receive a $1,000 donation from a sustaining supporter in Liberia. This generous gift covered the cost to replace half the roof. Our team worked overtime on Friday, July 8, and Saturday, July 9, installing new sheets of zinc metal on half the roof. Another $1,000 will complete this job to prevent any further damage from the heavy rains, and we are hoping to reach this fundraising goal soon.

Roof before the replacement. 

Kelvin Fomba on the roof during its replacement. 

The brand new, shiny roof. 

Our youth played another important role in the development of our new site. About 50 kids came out on Saturday, July 9 and worked 8 hours removing the trash from all sides of the building. These boys and girls completed 75% of the trash removal during this one day. Our youth want this center to open as soon as possible that they pray each day for this to happen. They wanted to show you, as our supporter, what this means to them by investing some sweat equity with cleaning the place.

Our youth outside the fence cleaning up the garbage.

Our girls worked just as hard as the boys shoveling up trash.

Youth cleaning trash between the fence and building.

Empty rice bags were used to place the garbage as it was scoped up by shovel.

Girls and boy working together to clean their future learning center.

Two young ladies hauling a bag of garbage. 

As you can see from this last photo, this building was a school and perfect place for our new learning center. Our goal is open this year and we need $25,000 to cover the remaining costs as follows:

1. Complete all renovations for the roof, three bathrooms, ceiling tile and doors, and painting the interior and exterior that includes materials and labor.
2. Buy equipment such as desks, chairs, benches, storage cabinet, and additional computers, sewing machines and library books. Also basic office supplies.
3. Install the electricity and interest, and pay for the first-year of service.
4. Pay stipends for computer and sewing trainers, study class teachers, security guards, receptionist/secretary, and janitor. These stipends for 11 people are below market value, but a starting point to employ Liberians. 

We are reaching out to individuals and organizations interested in partnering or sponsoring this initiative. If you know anyone that could help, please send an email to info@unitingdistantstars.com. We are available to meet in person, or through Skype or Google Hangout. 

Your generous support allowed Uniting Distant Stars to reach new heights in providing educational resources and vocational training to Liberia's children and youth. Thank you for being our Rock Star!!!

Raising Awareness at Ten Thousand Villages

Thank you for shopping at the Ten Thousand Villages Community Shopping Event held on May 21st! Your purchases (between 12:00pm- 4:00pm) were tallied, and 15%, approximately $225, was donated to Uniting Distant Stars. We also received about $23 in cash donations. Because of your generosity, 25 students will receive school supplies from our upcoming Annual School Supplies Drive, which will be supporting three primary schools (serving 700 students) in Liberia.

We would also like to express our immense gratitude toward Ten Thousand Villages for hosting this community shopping event on our behalf. This opportunity allowed for us to showcase our commitment to serving children and youth in Liberia, by providing them with educational resources and vocational training. We would also like to express a particular note of thanks to Ten Thousand Villages' store manager, Julie, and her staff. They helped make it a successful day!

Uniting Distant Stars Information Table showcases your continued generosity. 

Our UDS volunteers did a great job representing our cause at the event. We are extremely grateful to this dedicated, talented team for contributing to the success of our organization. Special Acknowledgments to: Miriam Monono, Diane Anastos, Adam Pederson, Mary Rosendahl, Philip Kaleewoun II, and Florkime Paye.

UDS Board Members (left to right):Miriam, Diane and Adam.

Left to Right: UDS Co-founder & Executive Director Heather, Board Members Philip and Mary.

At our information table, we showcased a sample of a UDS backpack made by a Liberian teen from the Backpacks for Peace program. The backpacks constructed in this program are used not only as vessels for the Liberian youth to transport school materials, but they also serve as our “Emergency Preventative Kit” prototype (filled with mosquito netting, water filter, masks, gloves and more). Go to our projects page to see a photo of the items in this backpack.

UDS Backpack for Peace being worn by Heather is something you made possible. 

In addition to all these exciting developments, we received the Dimes for Dreams cans! Ten Thousand Villages became the first ever UDS supporter to put one of our cans on their counter. We’d like to issue another “thank you” to them for helping us kickstart this fundraising campaign. More details about this project are coming soon from our campaign coordinators Adam and Florkime.

UDS Dimes for Dreams cans are in and ready to start our campaign on June 1

Additionally, our “Recipes for Learning” Sample Cookbook arrived recently. Mary, our project lead, created this mock-up to show potential sponsors how they can benefit from helping this important initiative. There will be much more to share about this project in the near future.

UDS Recipes for Learning Sample Cookbook to show to potential sponsors.

For those who were not able to attend the Ten Thousand Villages Community Shopping Event, we will be back on December 3rd! We will continue to share with you how your support is changing the lives of Liberian children and youth in real time.

Announcements for this event will be published in November.