PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ON A2S PROGRAM
ONE GIRL, ONE YEAR, ANY GRADE
Stephen Koffa, President of SFAA
Greetings Saints Friskies Nation,
Thank you so much for your participation and support.
In my last message to you, I noted that one of the goals of this administration is to increase the frequency of support to St. Teresa's Convent (STC). I am happy to report that we are now fulfilling that promise.
On Friday August 18, 2017, Saints Friskies Alumni Association (SFAA) launched a program called Alumni-To-Student Sponsorship Program (A2S) to provide educational assistance for the girls of St. Teresa's Convent (STC). The program will assist students with tuition and supplies, which in turn generates much needed revenue to run the school.
The question is why this program, and why now?
The scourge of Ebola devastated many families in Liberia. The families of the girls of STC were no exception. Many students were left orphaned, while others found themselves relying on the support of a single parent. The impact on the lives of the girls is profound. Paying tuition and purchasing school supplies is increasingly more difficult. As a result, the school's administrators are enormously burdened with trying to maintain the operations of the school while providing high quality education for the girls.
The difficulties the girls face do not end there. Many go to school hungry, while about 50% of a population of 912 students cannot afford the cost of purchasing food during lunchtime. Think about this. On any given day, there may be about 456 students at STC who go through the school day undernourished. Studies have shown that undernourished children have difficulties learning. It affects their cognitive skills, activity level, sense of imagination and curiosity.
In spite of all of these challenges, the girls persist at excellence. Sister Evelina, Principal of STC, informed us that all 24 seniors of academic year 2016 - 2017, passed the exams administered by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Of the 24 seniors, 5 passed with WAEC Division II honors, and were offered scholarships to any university of their choice. This is wonderful news! The girls need to be encouraged and supported. This is where we come in.
On Wednesday, December 6, 2017, SFAA remitted $13, 252.46 to STC to cover expenses for tuition and supplies for forty-three (43) students. The payment was made possible through the generous donations of sponsors who committed to supporting fifty (50) students for academic year September 2017 - June 2018. We say thank you to all our sponsors. But, this is just the beginning. Let's work to make sure that parents or guardians of the girls never have to face this stark proposition of choosing whether to feed their child or pay their tuition.
We are asking that you please sponsor One Girl, One Year, Any Grade. Your generosity will have an uplifting impact on the lives of the girls of STC. We remain always grateful for all of your support and participation.
For more information about the sponsorship program, please click here. The A2S Program Bulletin also gives you links to relevant information.
Regards,
Stephen Jaitoh Koffa, Jr. '79
National President
Saints Friskies Alumni Association
Email: sfaa@stcsphs.org
Website: stcsphs.org
August 21, 2017