On Saturday, August 1, 2020, 60 vocational training graduates arrived to receive their diplomas. Two others showed up that day to check-in and received their diplomas later in the week. Since the schools closed in March, some students left the city to spend time with their families in the interior. So, we could see additional graduates in the coming weeks or months.
During the months of June and July, students came to the center to take a photo in a cap and gown for their diplomas. We took these photos and arranged them their respective courses as shown below. Please join us in congratulating the 2019/2020 graduates in receiving their diplomas!
Meet your Catering Graduates who made all the delicious treats during the past year. Some interned at Kailando Hotel near our center.
Meet your Computer Graduates who have learned the components, typing, and Microsoft Suite. Graduate with *** took 3 courses and ** took 2 courses.
Meet your Cosmetology Graduates, who have learned how to style hair, give facials, and manicures/pedicures. Graduate with *** took 3 courses.
Meet your Electrician Graduates with our first female, Mayesa, who learned how to work and install electricity along with installing our second phase of solar.
Meet your Hotel Management Graduates, who learned the many different roles from the front desk to housekeeping. Some interned at Kailando Hotel near our center. Graduate with *** took 3 courses and ** took 2 courses.
Meet your Plumbing Graduates who learned how to install pipe and fixtures, and connect the waterline, and your Tailoring Graduate learned how to cut and sew any outfit you would like.
Our heartfelt THANKS for being part of their year-long learning journey! Your kindness and support helped them achieve this important milestone of graduating.
One of your key investments is buying needed equipment, materials, and supplies to give your students practical experience. Without these essentials items, your students would sit in a classroom doing nothing. UDS aspires to give young men and women over 80% hands-on training either as field experience or in their respective learning labs.
Almost two years ago, you made our Plumbing Learning Lab possible. It now serves the third group of plumbing students. As you see in the photos, our students practice laying pipe in their lab. They learn how to connect various types of pipes with fittings. Soon they will be connecting the pipes to fixtures like commodes and tubs.
Your Plumbing Students practicing laying pipe and connecting the fittings.
Thank you so much for supporting your plumbing students in learning this much-needed trade!
At the Uniting Distant Stars, we believe that your positive action combined with positive thinking, your results will definitely be a success.
Ooooh yeah, it’s remarkable to think that our past year in UDS has come to an end. But let’s take a moment to think about the time we spent together. It was full of twists and turns and also marked by countless challenges to overcome whether they were academic, sports, politics or personal.
It is a fantastic achievement for each and every one of us to have made it, and I am proud to share this moment with all of you. The truth is that we haven’t made it here on our own effort alone.
On behalf of the class of 2018/2019, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge those who help us through to where we are today. First, to our hardworking administration here and our Godly Board Members of UDS in the U.S. for their dedication to the vulnerable youth, children and the needy to ensure that we become successful, and live a good life through the tradition of excellence and hard work that we may have a brighter future.
In this regard, we say thanks and appreciation again to the UDS Family all around the world for their relentless humanitarian support towards the development of our vulnerable youth in Africa. We also thank them again for training hundreds of youth, adults, and children in Liberia for them to be part of nation-building.
To my fellow graduates! We must be patient and be sincere to our masters and clients so we can enjoy the next phase of our lives in order for us to achieve our dreams. Special thanks to our hardworking Instructors for they taught us the values that we need in order for us to face our future without fear.
Abel (bottom center) among some of his fellow graduates and friends.
I will be remiss if I don’t recognize the best humanitarians of our time, they are also the twin founders of the UDS, they have done a lot to change the negative face and mindset of Africans into positivity. These legends are Mr. Kelvin S. Fomba and Miss Heather Cannon. We say thank you!
Information about Abel: He is 22 years old and dropped out of high school at grade 11 due to no financial support. He lived in Southern Sierra Leone before coming to Liberia. He graduated from UDS Vocational Training Center on April 13 with a Diploma in Plumbing. His long term goals include starting his own company. In the short term, he plans to gain experience through contract jobs. He currently received a plumbing opportunity in Paynesville, Liberia.
You empowered Able to put his skills to work for his first post-graduate contract.
UDS launched our student recruitment by participating in three radio talk shows: Radio Advent (93.7) on February 12, United Methodist Radio (98.7) on February 13, and Truth FM (96.1) on February 15. For each talk show, our team consisted of students and staff to explain our program and the benefits of enrolling as a student.
Radio Advent (93.7) – February 12
This station, located on the Old Road, is near our center. We developed a relationship with Radio Advent the first year we opened our center. Because of this relationship, they looked forward to putting our team on the air, including Kelvin Fomba (Co-Founder & Director), Godfrey Solomon (Administrator/Registrar), Boakai Dillion (2018 Graduate & Assistant Electrician Instructor), and Myrte Toe (Hotel Management Student).
Boakai Dillion (left) tells the listeners how his UDS experience is a blessing. He shared how he received contracts as an electrician before he graduated in March 2018. He returned as the assistant instructor to help with training our current students. (Godrey Solomon on top-right and Kelvin Fomba bottom-right)
Myrtle Doe (left) explained how her passion is to work in the hotel industry. She is grateful for UDS for offering this program. She shared her experience serving our guests from Sierra Leone Foundation for New Democracy-SLFND during the Permaculture training.
United Methodist Radio (98.7) – February 13
This station is in the neighboring suburb, Sinkor. We established a continued relationship with them since 2017. For this show, our team included Kelvin Fomba, Godfrey Solomon, Boakai Dillion, and Adjusting Kouadio (Computer Student).
Adjusting Kouadio (right) shared with the listeners how she used to feel like there was no hope but this changed for her when enrolling with the UDS computer course. She expressed her gratitude for how much she learned. She then encouraged the youth listening to come and learn at the UDS trade school. (Kelvin Fomba on left and Boakai Dillion at center).
Truth FM (96.1) – February 15
Friday, we went further away from our center to Duport Road in Paynesville, one of the largest suburbs of Monrovia. This talk show allowed listeners to call in and ask questions of our team: Kelvin Fomba, Godfrey Solomon, Amed Saah Blama (Hotel Management Instructor), and Abel Kabba (Plumbing Student).
Abel Kabba at right gave an inspiring talk about how his life transformed from living on the streets to learning a valuable trade at our vocational training center. He encouraged other youth in similar situations to know they have a choice for a better life by coming to UDS and learning a skill.
Your gracious and generous support inspires and motivates our students to succeed in their training. Please watch theses three short videos of Adjusting, Boakai, and Abel as they share their stories to the listeners. Thank you!
Adjusting Kouadio (UDS Computer Student), encourages youth to have hope and enroll in the UDS vocational training school.
Boakai Dillion, UDS 2018 Graduate & Assistant Electrician Instructor, shares how much UDS vocational training program transformed his life.
Abel Kabba (UDS Plumbing Student) shares his story how vocational training changed his life.
Unbelievable! The final month of the 2018/2019 term closes on February 28. Indeed, your continued support of young men and women gave them the means to complete their final projects. This article focuses on your cosmetology and plumbing students.
First, your cosmetology students worked diligently in performing facials, manicures, pedicures, and hair styling. As a result of several hours of practicals over the past year, they demonstrated their readiness to provide this service to their instructor and others.
Your cosmetology students demonstrating their skills for the final project.
Next, your plumbing students applied their learning in installing pipes and fixtures in their lab. As a witness to their development, you know that they possess the grit and dedication to be successful plumbers.
Your plumbing students apply their knowledge & skills in their final project.
Clearly, your generous support as a Classroom Hero inspires and motivates Liberian Youth to fully take on the opportunity of becoming skilled cosmetologists and plumbers. Thank you for making this possible!
