Last year, Friends of Liberia was able to raise $100,000 for
mainly Liberian organizations helping their communities through the Ebola
crisis. Thank you to all who were able to help through donations or
encouragement! We continue to rely on your unwavering support to help
Liberians reclaim their lives and livelihoods lost as a result of the Ebola
virus.

FOL believes Liberia has reached a critical juncture in its recovery from
Ebola. With the help of your sponsorship for our programs, FOL will stand by
Liberians as they rebuild their future. We know that you probably receive
appeals from many worthy organizations, but please consider being part of our
team by making a tax-deductible gift now as we work to sustain and expand our
reach.

Successful transition from a crisis is very time-sensitive. We have two
programs underway where your help will make a real difference: The Ebola
Small Grants Program and the Family Literacy Initiative.

The Ebola Small Grants Program, an extension of the existing Small Grants
Program, invites proposals from Liberians for grants to help with Ebola
Recovery in three areas: education, psycho-social support system
rehabilitation, and entrepreneurship. For more information on these focal
areas and criteria for grants, please go to our website: https://fol.org/post-
ebola-small-grants-program

The Family Literacy Initiative addresses a crisis that underlies all of
Liberia’s challenges –one of the lowest literacy rates in Africa. The
closing of schools for most of last year during the Ebola crisis exacerbated
the existing serious problem. This new pilot project for FOL takes a family
approach to literacy. It recognizes that parents are a child’s first teacher
and partners FOL with the international evidence-based program Home
Instruction for Parents of Pre-school Youngsters (HIPPY) to bring this
program to three communities in Liberia. We are in discussions with the We-
Care Foundation in Monrovia, a respected Liberian not-for-profit organization
that publishes supplemental reading materials and trains teachers, to serve
as the implementing entity for the pilot program.

We are committed to a program that will (1) increase parents’ literacy levels
along with their children’s, and (2) will have a lasting and sustainable two-
generation impact. If the two-year pilot is successful in preparing Liberian
children for success in school, the program will be scaled up and expanded to
other communities in Liberia.

Can we count on you? Please join me in support of these important programs.
We pledge that experienced professionals will monitor both programs for
transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. Your contribution can make a
huge difference in the lives of Liberians and their recovery.

To donate either go online to https://fol.org/fol-donations or mail one to

FOL Treasurer, Nimu Sidhu
324 Amherst Dr. SE
Albuquerque NM 87106

Thank you,
Stephanie Vickers
President FOL