ROCK HILL, SCHOOLS & Clean water

Rock Hill

I can't even put into words how I felt when I met the children on Rock Hill. Experiencing Rock Hill results in a purely visceral reaction that cannot ever be put down on paper. The photos below tell part of the story. See the gray dust on their faces? Yes, that's because they have spent the day with a hammer, breaking rocks....large rocks into medium size rocks, medium size rocks into small rocks, and small rocks into smaller rocks. These children toil at this all day....AND YET, their spirit is unbreakable. They giggle, smile, make fun of the way I speak (can you imagine that?), and LOVED to have the picture taken. One little boy had a small radio and we even danced!! The Director of Rock Hill explained to me that their greatest need is clean water. They need a well. Many of these children are sick because of contaminated water (many had rashes even washing in it!). I also noticed many children were coughing and had upper respiratory issues...undoubtedly because of breathing rock dust all day. Our wonderful American school children have contributed shoes and books for Liberia in thr past...I'm thinking that raising money so these children could get clean water would be a wonderful task for a few schools. They currently have a hole for the well, but it needs to be dug deeper (it is dry during the dry season) and they would also need well equipment. Again, it amazes me the wonderful spirit of these children..they are truly inspiring. And....they are so excited for the least thing...the yellow bags you see them sitting on...that's rice that we brought with us. The children were so excited they all wanted to sit on the bags! Thank you all so much for caring!

Clean Water

There is a lack of clean drinking water in Liberia. It’s 14-year civil war destroyed the country’s hydroelectric plant along with most of its infrastructure. Government funding to provide reliable clean water is scarce. Purchasing safe water is financially out of reach for most families.

Securing access to safe water and adequate sanitation for all would go a long way in reducing infection, disease and death.

However, Liberia’s high rates of diarrheal diseases and childhood malnutrition, as well as frequent outbreaks of cholera, show how young children suffer when they don’t have access to the basics of life.

The recent Ebola outbreak has also highlighted the risks associated with inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene to prevent or stop the spread of diseases.

For school-going children, the lack of clean water facilities in schools spreads disease and results in missed days of learning. For girls who have started to menstruate, the absence of separate girls/boys bathrooms discourages them from coming to school on menstrual days and contributes to drop-out.

Because of our generous volunteers and contributors, Mission to Liberia has provided over 30 wells in remote villages providing clean water to hundreds of people.

Electricity & School Supplies

Imagine going to school with no electricity. Imagine a school with no books, paper or pencils. Imagine going to school with nothing to eat. MTL assists schools with their basic needs but they need so much more than their basic needs. Schools like The Friedman School in Taunton host fundraising events to assist schools in need. The students are also matched up with a pen-pal to foster life-long friendships.

THE DEAF AND MUTE SCHOOL

My Experience at the Deaf and Mute School

I experienced a most amazing day! First, we went to the Deaf and Mute School and the pictures below will demonstrate the need at this school. Yes, the material need is great, but the spirit isn't missing a thingl.. That sign you see us doing means, "I love you." These children are funny, mischievous, and just wonderful to be around. Although they can't speak or hear, they seem happy and, again, their spirit is amazing. Many children live at the school, but others commute. Andrew is the teacher...he and his wife live at the school. They are so committed. The surroundings are deplorable, yet he stays because he's committed to these "disposable" children. If it wasn't for this school, these children would not survive. I just can't say enough about this school.....I actually had FUN there!! We brought them 2 50 LB bags of rice and they were very excited.

The school of the Deaf and Mute has been in existence for 15 years. The children are being taught sound languages and other basic fundamentals that can support them in day to day activities. MTL has been supporting the school for the past two years. We have been assisting with infrastructure renovations, hand pump construction, food and school supplies etc.