Help build sch for children in Lib.
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The story and motivation: Gormue and its surrounding villages (Killingan, Manlangan,Belelah, and Nuiyea) are in Zota District, Bong County, Liberia, West Africa. Situated near the Guinea border, a remote part of Liberia, these villages have no access to school. The only nearby Government Elementary School is a 2-hour walk. There are no transportation facilities in this area and young children are unable to walk to the Elementary School. I was born and raised in Gormue and did not have access to school until I was 13 when civil war pushed my family and I into Guinea where I started my elementary school in 1995 at 13 years old. In May 20118 I completed my PhD in Environment & Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in June 2018 returned to Liberia to contribute to the development of my beloved country.
Each time I travel to Gormue, I feel sad to see the over 80 school age children who are not going to school. Last year, when I was in Gormu, we had a community meeting that brought together parents from all the surrounding villages. We agreed to build a 4-class room school with bathroom and office facilities. The plan also includes a hand pump and solar system that will light the school at night to support adult literacy program for the parents during evening hours.
Thankfully, some of the parents are either high school graduates or college drop outs. They agreed to volunteer to teach their children and adults who cannot read or write.
The Project Cost: The project cost US$20,000. The amount raised so far is being used to purchase materials that are inaccessible locally such as cement, roofing sheets, hand pump materials, solar panels, batteries, etc. For example, the initial $5000 raised was used to purchase cement, steel rods, tie wires for the construction of the foundation of the school. The rest of the materials such as dirt bricks, planks, etc and construction labours are being provided locally by the parents.
Sustainability: Sustainability of the school will rely on sustainable agriculture. For example, we have already started a small agriculture project (a 25-acre oil palm farm). The organic palms are being intercropped with locally produced food such as plantains, pineapples, eddoes. Proceeds from the farm will be a major source of funding for the running of the school. Additionally, parents will pay minimum school fees. Other methods of support will include linking children to sponsors, donations and mutual collaboration with other schools ane organizations abroad.
Accountability: Those who have already donated can attest to the fact that we have been giving them constant updates on expenditures and progress reports. We will continue this practice. Funds donors donate are directly transmitted to One Life Liberia, Inc. account after a small GoFundMe fee deductions. The funds are then transferred to Nathan Kerkulah & Joseph Urey in Gormue, via Money Gram, who are overseeing the implementation of the school project. Nathan and his team submit progress and financial reports to me, which I forward to our donors via emails.
Contact Details: This GoFundMe Campaign is an initiative of One Life Liberia, Inc. (OLLI), a 501C3 tax exempt non-profit organizatioin that focuses on education and sustainable agriculture in Liberia. One Life Liberia, Inc. address is 940 Eagle Heights, Apt. D, Madison, WI 53705
Contact person: Emmanuel K. Urey
Address: 940 Eagle Heights, Apt. D, Madison, WI 53705
For more information on some of my work, you can check the trailer of a documentary (“The Land Beneath Our Feet”) I acted in as the protagonist. Gormue comes in a split second at the beginning. Here is the link: https://vimeo.com/166601524. If you are interested in watching the documentary, please email me.
In efforts to build a better society by educating young people today, I remain.
Sincerely yours,
Emmanuel K. Urey
BSc, MSc, MPH, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Former President, Liberian Association of Wisconsin (LAW)
In the Shadow of Ebola
Each time I travel to Gormue, I feel sad to see the over 80 school age children who are not going to school. Last year, when I was in Gormu, we had a community meeting that brought together parents from all the surrounding villages. We agreed to build a 4-class room school with bathroom and office facilities. The plan also includes a hand pump and solar system that will light the school at night to support adult literacy program for the parents during evening hours.
Thankfully, some of the parents are either high school graduates or college drop outs. They agreed to volunteer to teach their children and adults who cannot read or write.
The Project Cost: The project cost US$20,000. The amount raised so far is being used to purchase materials that are inaccessible locally such as cement, roofing sheets, hand pump materials, solar panels, batteries, etc. For example, the initial $5000 raised was used to purchase cement, steel rods, tie wires for the construction of the foundation of the school. The rest of the materials such as dirt bricks, planks, etc and construction labours are being provided locally by the parents.
Sustainability: Sustainability of the school will rely on sustainable agriculture. For example, we have already started a small agriculture project (a 25-acre oil palm farm). The organic palms are being intercropped with locally produced food such as plantains, pineapples, eddoes. Proceeds from the farm will be a major source of funding for the running of the school. Additionally, parents will pay minimum school fees. Other methods of support will include linking children to sponsors, donations and mutual collaboration with other schools ane organizations abroad.
Accountability: Those who have already donated can attest to the fact that we have been giving them constant updates on expenditures and progress reports. We will continue this practice. Funds donors donate are directly transmitted to One Life Liberia, Inc. account after a small GoFundMe fee deductions. The funds are then transferred to Nathan Kerkulah & Joseph Urey in Gormue, via Money Gram, who are overseeing the implementation of the school project. Nathan and his team submit progress and financial reports to me, which I forward to our donors via emails.
Contact Details: This GoFundMe Campaign is an initiative of One Life Liberia, Inc. (OLLI), a 501C3 tax exempt non-profit organizatioin that focuses on education and sustainable agriculture in Liberia. One Life Liberia, Inc. address is 940 Eagle Heights, Apt. D, Madison, WI 53705
Contact person: Emmanuel K. Urey
Address: 940 Eagle Heights, Apt. D, Madison, WI 53705
For more information on some of my work, you can check the trailer of a documentary (“The Land Beneath Our Feet”) I acted in as the protagonist. Gormue comes in a split second at the beginning. Here is the link: https://vimeo.com/166601524. If you are interested in watching the documentary, please email me.
In efforts to build a better society by educating young people today, I remain.
Sincerely yours,
Emmanuel K. Urey
BSc, MSc, MPH, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Former President, Liberian Association of Wisconsin (LAW)
In the Shadow of EbolaOrganizer
Emmanuel K. Urey
Organizer
Madison, WI