Help 250 Youth Recover From Ebola in Guinea

You are receiving this Project Report since you are a current supporter of the MindLeaps GlobalGiving Program: “Help 250 Youth Recover from Ebola in Guinea”.

What Happened Last Week?

On December 28 – exactly one week ago – Guinea was declared free of Ebola.  Although this is wonderful news, it really means our work is just beginning.  In the two-year fight to contain the virus in West Africa, 115 health workers died and 8 workers were killed by a team of hostile locals in the Eastern part of Guinea (http://oceansidepost.com/2016/01/03/ebola-epidemic-halted-in-guinea.html).

A lack of understanding of the disease was one of the main reasons that locals resisted international care.  MindLeaps’ work is targeting youth and their families to ensure that a more knowledgeable community is developed in the aftermath of this epidemic. 

Education is a driver of economic development, but it is also key to prevent the loss of lives in the future.  Now that the emergency situation is over, it’s time to educate communities for long-term prevention. 

The Story of Salifou

Salifou has been a student at MindLeaps before it was even called “MindLeaps”.  Back in 2011, working under the name “Rebecca Davis Dance Company”, we set up classes in the town of Kindia to serve youth exactly like Salifou – teenagers who attended school irregularly and floated between extremely poor living conditions at home and on the streets.

Like so many kids living in West Africa, Salifou was fascinated with dance and acrobatics, so he was willing to join our dance program that kept kids at the community center instead of wandering the streets.  Salifou learned that English language classes were available to students who attended regularly and rice meals provided for kids who stayed all day.  It was a way for Salifou to become “connected” to a different type of home.  

Over the years, Salifou became a student leader in our program.  In 2014, he was promoted to “teaching assistant” in the English class.  In 2016, MindLeaps is preparing Salifou and other top students to become teachers of the dance curriculum in order to serve more children in multiple communities in Guinea.

Salifou can continue to be a role model for new children because of your support.  Without this critical provision of meals, teaching stipends and community classes, Salifou’s life would have fallen apart forever as the country struggles to meet the needs of the post-Ebola crisis.  Your dollars give Salifou the confidence and support he needs to continue his life-changing path.

What’s next?

MindLeaps still needs to raise more funds to provide critical support to the family members of the children that participate in our program.  Please consider sharing our project and helping us build support in this post-reconstruction period.  

Lives cannot be lost now.

Thank you!