Message from Solomon-- 8/08

Swen-nyonnoh,

I am very sorry. You will soon get the pictures. There has been a problem since I returned from home. I have been sick seriously. My foot is swelling. I am attending a nearby hospital, but my foot is slow in healing. Pray for me.

Swen-nyonnoh I will make the sacrifice to go home with the hope that I shall get a salary in the future.Government is paying civil servants $50 - $70 now. I will also seek the possiblity of getting on the payroll.

Will you come to Geeken Officical Dedication in December? Everybody is asking me. Give me an idea.

Thank you, pictures are coming very soon.

June Update

Awaiting an update from Solomon regarding the progress of the construction. Have not heard from him since the previous post.

Victor Helb at the Liberian Literacy Project has included the Geekan school in his project description as one that they intend to provide with wind/solar power. Since receiving that commitment for power, I have secured the donations of another half dozen more traditional laptops to add to the school lab for the older students.

It has now become a matter of transporting the laptops from my home in Seattle to Geekan in Liberia.

More later on how that might happen.............

Novice Blogger

Let's make the link to the Liberian Literacy Foundation work...... they're a fantastic organization and their website gives you a great feel for education in Liberian.

www.liberianbooks.org

Great Surprise!!!!!

Computers need power. Batteries need recharging. Geekan is off the grid and presently powerless. A renewable source of power would not only power computers, but would also allow the campus to be used for adult literacy classes in the evening and possibly provide refrigeration for medication from the village health clinic.

I received a phone call from Victor Helb of the Liberian Literacy Foundation. His organization provides educational resources, builds libraries and delivers renewable energy to Liberia. Victor proposed that the Liberian Literacy Foundation install a wind/solar power system and establish a library at the Geekan school. The Geekan people have agreed to make their facility available to the wider community of River Gee county.

Pending resources, Victor hopes to have a team of engineers visit Geekan to install a renewable energy system sometime between December and March 2009.

To learn more about the Liberian Literacy Foundation and how you can help them in their efforts to support education in Liberia visit their website at www.liberianbooks.org.

Message from Solomon

Swen-nyonnoh,

Thank you again for your effort in getting Geeken on a good footing. We will always appreciate you.

Have you gotten photos of the building? Those photos are photos of the time I was in Geeken. Most of bricks are layed since. We love every idea of yours that will help Geeken on the matters of education. Geeken will be glad to have such facilities like the library, Adult Literacy and everything that will help our people to begin the see good things that our forefathers longed for us.

There is a plan for the Administrative Committee to go home in Geeken. A trip just to thing our people for their untiring effort.

Like I told the Geeken people and I mentioned in some mails I sent to you; I will sure leave Monrovia to go home to stay so that your effort and the effort of all of us not be in vain. As I live I will see to it that Geeken citizens - the youth get some computer training.

Thank you,

Geeken Must Gooooo!!!!

Solomon

Construction Pictures-Late Feb/Early March

The new school next to the current school.

The new campus.

Message from Solomon

Swen-nyonoh,

I just returned in Monrovia from Geeken. Much progress has been made on our modern school building.90% of the bricks have already being made.The building itself has been roofed-nice- looking. All the Geeken people send their greetings to you. They say you need to come for the dedication.What you think? The news of the 10 laptops has been received with much joy.

Please send some money for me to be able to develop and print the pictures I took.

Solomon Wolotoh

Construction Update

Dear Katherine,
I present my compliment and wish to inform you
that I have just visited the construction site of the
Gbeapo Geeken Elementary School on Thursday, 6 March
2008.
Be inform that the entire three units are zinc and
only the kitchen is left. More bricks are available to
start lying. I was too happy with the level of work
done on the building. The contractor told me that he
will start lying the bricks on the 10th of March.

Best regards,
Daniel Teh

Computers Have Arrived

Hi-
The XO Laptops arrived yesterday. Next I will make sure they are all in working order.

I am currently working on a means to recharge the batteries in Gbeapo Geekan as the village is not on an electrical grid.

OLPC has means to do so, but they have not made those available to such small projects as this single school.

There is a solution somewhere.............

Message from Daniel-2/20/08

With Compliments am please to give you update on the progress and level of the work on the School Building in Gbeapo Geeken So far.

I visited the site just 10days ago when the carpenters were roofing the building, Of the three units, one was completed before I left. And just 6days ago I was imform that before the 23 of the month, they may complete the roofing with Zinc on the Building.

Preparation for the bricks is on going. I saw the first 800 pieces that were done.

The Contractor assure me if I do go back by the 23 of the Month, something great would have been done.

Again, Kathy, thank you ever so much for the great work thus far, to improve the lives of the children and the people of Gbeapo Geeken.

Thanx
Mr. Daniel B. Teh, Sr.

Note: Daniel is another Geekan community member. He was the principal of the school when I taught at Geekan.