Henry's School

Meet Henry Goahgor. Henry has a compassion for children in Liberia and their families and assists them in attending school in Barnersville Palm Field Community who wouldn’t otherwise have the ways or means of achieving a better life in Liberia. He aspires to build a school and play ground where these needs can be met from preschool to adult classes. 

My love for kids, orphan children, adult illiteracy, my community, and country of Liberia moves me to open this school in my community. After the civil war, there were no qualified teachers in the Barnersville Palm Field Community from 2001-2009. Our community is highly populated and is located outside of Monrovia far off the main car road. Children cannot go far distances for schooling due to safety reasons. And there is no public school in this community. The civil war affected parents and guardians living in this community and most are unable to afford to send their children to schools outside our community.  

There are alot of challenges my school is faced with. Poor building structure, lack of good seating capacity, better sanitation, safe drinking water, feeding program, and decent salary for our teachers. Many adults in our community are asking me to open an adult school which would require a generator so we could operate our school in the evenings. I am currently operating my school with weaved mat walls, dirt floor, and bare benches for seating. I have also dug the holes for our water well and latrines. I have been busy making bricks for our school building. And I spend much of my time advocating and promoting the school for further community involvement. I do not feel that this way will allow me to complete the school on my own by school start up this fall. I have 150 students committed to attending this fall and am looking at closer to 200 students enrolling by the start of this 2013 school year.

 

The following are estimated costs for the school to open:

 7,680 dirt-bricks cost……………$ 645 USD

200 bags of cement………………$ 1,600 USD

One truck load of sand………….$ $ 200.00 USD

Zinc (28 gauge) – 1bundle=$150….12 bundles Needed= $1800 USD

 Total build costs needs= $4,245.00

Note that during your visit to the school, you met five of my teachers plus me, which equal to six teachers presently teaching. We are running from Nursery to grade 6 level, and the total students for this semester is 150. 

Salary is $ 760.00 USD per month

The curriculum we use is the Liberian National Primary Curriculum.

 BUDGET FOR BOOKS 2013 & 2014

 1.      Nursery to grade 6 reading books  

2.      Primary science – 7 books

3.      English- 7 books  

4.      Elementary math  -7 books

5.      Social Studies -7 books

6.      Teacher’s Lesson Plan – 7 books

7.      Attendance book

8.      Administrative book

9.      Teachers’ Roll Books-6

10.  School Supplies expense:

(Pen, Report car, running of Test, Ruler, Chalk & Tissue……

  Estimated funds needed: $530.00

Estimated cost for feeding of 150 Children: $140.00 pr month


Unlike your American schools, this is our only option for a school menu. It would be nice to afford to feed the students a more balanced meal.

The generator is very important for our school, in that, we will use it to open night school that will bring extra funds to our school. We will be showing phonics DVDs and other items to the children every Friday. Better still, we can give off current to some of our neighbors for monthly payment so as to help us buy fuel and cover up other expenses.

Kama 5.0 K.V.A. diesel generator: $1,200.00

300 arm chairs each cost $15.00 USD for 12 class rooms.

Cost for 300 arm chair….. $4,500 USD

 Office chairs six (6)…… $120.00 USD

 Office desk three (3) …. $150.00 USD

TOTAL CHAIRS & DESK COST …. $4,770 USD

27 Sponsored orphans in school

One year tuition for 27 orphans plus uniforms/ shoes and supplies ……  $4,050.00 USD

These children need school sponsors:

     

   

   

   

 

   

   

   



Donna’s Children Play Ground Center

          ITEM                                         COST

1.     See Saw ________________ $ 175.00

2.     Slide ___________________ $ 275.00

3.     Swing __________________ $ 250.00

4.     Mary Go-Round __________ $ 350.00

5.   Total __________________ _$ 1,050.00 USD

Current sanitary facilities for our is school is very poor, in that there is no hand pumps for water, we have a pit toilet with a mat around it, and the class room floors is very bad off with dirt flooring. I have completed the digging of the hand pump well and the latrines and I made bricks for the hand pump and well. I just need help with a hand pump and finishing work for the latrines.

Hand pump for School grounds-…. $400.00 USD 

Latrines for school- $1,000.00 USD

Fencing for around school grounds for safety-… $500.00 USD

We start with our building work now from April to August, by the help of God we will finish within the five months period. A good school facility with play ground equipment draws parent’s attention. This will help with the enrollment funds too.

“What I am doing is very real from deep down in my heart. This is why I am self sacrificing, using my time, energy, effort and my little money struggling with the kids which is my goal to help but not to rob the poor as you know my area is education.”

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
-Nelson Mandela

Virtual Adoptions

A couple of days ago, I volunteered at a film festival that had the showing of a documentary called STUCK. It was about children and families who are caught in the adoption cycle and the harm it creates. After wards the executive producer- Craig Juntunen spoke. He shared that the problem was political apathy. That faces needed to be put on this problem. That these kids life’s, matter. He talked about filming in 30 different orphanages around the world and how the universal language of an orphan was the same no matter where they were at. The children would look, turn around, and hold up their hands, as if they are saying “hold me”.   Make me feel like I Matter!

 

The average adoption costs $28,000 and it takes on average 33 months to complete. What can you do?

We know that we can make a difference. One person can and does effect change. These children cannot wait for bureaucracy from various governments on both sides of the ocean to get their act together. These children cannot wait till adoption is affordable. These children cannot wait till the adoption process has been streamlined to be made simpler and less extensive in time frames. These children need help now. They need to eat now. They need to go to school now. They need to thrive now. They need family now. How can this be done when adoptions are not allowed in a country of needy orphans?

I think it starts with all of us examining ourselves and focusing on what we can do and not what we can’t do. Adoption is about relationships. Most times that means with a child a family has adopted into their home. But I believe this can be done in another way that allows relationship with a child and provisions for their daily needs. Helping them to grow and become what God has called them to be no matter what home or what land they live in.  This can be done through Virtual Adoptions.

The dictionary states that the word virtual means: Being such practically or in effect, although not in actual fact or name- having the essence or effect but not the appearance or form of. In another words virtual adoption can have much of the same benefits of an adoption to a child only not as we know it in the legal sense. 

Why not help a child in need right where you are at and where they are at? We have the technology in place to be in touch half way across the world now. We can build a relationship and care for an orphan child in need today. 

I have done so for the past 4 years. For a little boy named Courage. I have adopted his brother and sister a few years back however Liberia is currently closed to adoptions which would allow him to unite with them. I can either be upset with indignation or I can be proactive in his life and help him where he is at. So I choose to be involved- now. He is my children’s brother in Liberia. I remember him on Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, his birthday. I pay for him to go to school. I care for his physical needs through food, clothing, and medicines. I buy him things I would buy my other children. Recently, I sent funds for a bike which was bought for him for his birthday. I think of him and pray for him daily.  I will go to Liberia and walk him to school for his first day of preschool this fall.  He has many pictures of us and us of him. We talk on the phone. Our family is committed to him. He knows us. We know him.  This is what I choose to do. And you can too. 

You might ask what is the difference between this and a sponsorship program?  Sponsorship programs ask for your $30 or more a month and they give you a picture of a child and that is that. This is so much more. This is Personal. This is a relationship with a child who needs you in their life and them in yours. Its being involved in a way that does effect this child and you. 

Contact me- I can show you how.

“The Eclipse of Human Potential of an Orphan is neglect”. C.J.

Love In Any Language..

 This family- Mohammed and Musu are in need of assistance due to both mom and dad being blind and struggling to support their 3 children who are not. Their kids- Blama, Eric, and Asata do their best to assist their parents but this family is often taken advantage of  by others.  Daily assistance with surviving and education for the kids is what we are seeking for aid for them.

  We have two waiting families in need of assistance in our African Kinship Care program. This program assists Liberian families caring for children that might otherwise end up in orphanages. In some cases we will come along side a family who has a special need and needs assistance with keeping their child in their care. Because adoptions are currently closed in Liberia, African Kinship Care is needed all the  more to sustain a healthy and loving family environment for children otherwise orphaned.

 This is their home.

 

Their bathroom.

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 This single mom,Patricia, has 3 children- Victoria, George, and baby Comfort. She is desiring to go to school to be a nurse. Daily survival, help with baby needs, and school are needed to aid this family.

 Baby Comfort

 

 George

 Victoria

Contact us if you are interested in more information in helping a child/family in this program. The needs are great and those answering the call are few...

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Je t'aime
Te amo
Ya ti-bya lyu blyu
Ani o hev ot cha
I love you

The sounds are all as different
As the lands from which they came
And though the words are all unique
Our hearts are still the same

Love in any language
Straight from the heart
Pulls us all together
Never apart
And once we learn to speak it
All the world will hear
Love in any language
Fluently spoken here

We teach the young our differences
Yet look how we're the same
We love to laugh, to dream our dreams
We know the sting of pain

From Leningrad to Lexington
The farmer loves his land
And daddies all get misty-eyed
To give their daughter's hand

Oh maybe when we realize
How much there is to share
We'll find too much in common
To pretend it isn't there

Tho' the rehtoric of government
May keep us worlds apart
There's no misinterpreting
The language of the heart

Love in any language
Straight from the heart
Pulls us all together
Never apart
And once we learn to speak it
All the world will hear
Love in any language Fluently spoken here

Doodling for Africa Outreach

 

Josiah- Rejinna- Isaiah.

Holding Pepper- Harley-LeRoy who are all available for adoption!

 Doodling for outreach ministry? You bet! We as a family raise mini golden doodles and sell them to help with our outreach ministry in Liberia. My kids love these puppies and love to meet the families they become a part of. We do doodle adoptions to help kids. Your never to young or to old to help others in need. My kids are great examples of that. And you never know what God can use in your life when you are willing to step out and answer the call.

 Harley is a F1 mini golden doodle who was our biggest boy of this litter. He is ALL boy and fun loving. He is actually our favorite and is a typical playful rolly polly puppy. He currently weighs 19lbs and is up to date on all his vaccinations. He has had 2 well puppy check ups and is wanting a forever family of his own. Harley is available for $1000 and comes with a puppy guarantee.

 

 Pepper is an adorable F1 mini golden doodle puppy who loves to lay in your lap and be held. He has a laid back personality and currently weighs 16lbs. He is up to date on all vaccinations and has had 2 well puppy check ups. He is so ready for his forever family. Pepper is available for $1000. and includes a puppy guarantee.

 

LeRoy was our smallest of the F1 miniature golden doodle litter …at one point…then he caught up and is now 15lbs. What he lacked in size at one point, he sure makes up in personality! He is rambunctious, loves to explore, and be very involved. LeRoy is up to date on all his vaccinations and has had 2 well puppy check ups. LeRoy has straight hair that should be getting wavy however we cant be assured of this as we have not had a puppy look more golden retriever than doodle.  LeRoy is wanting a family to adopt him and is available for $800

For more information: www.doodledoghill.com