Christmas time...in Liberia

Let's take a virtual mind-tour today. As you read this, think of what it would be like to be in the shoes of the poor at our port of call.

Today we will be going to Liberia on the Western shores of Africa. As you now it was at the epicenter of the 2014 Ebola outbreak. It was also the location of two brutal civil wars in the decades before that.

It is a country where we can make a big difference in people’s lives for not too large of investment.

our virtual tour will be via:

https://helpified.com/paths/liberia

Which brings us to this AM. Bishop Nelson who we have worked with since the Ebola Crisis (and whom I learned of before the crisis via Pete at CYC) emailed the following this AM:

"As we reach the Christmas season in Liberia, the Christian Youth Corps - Africa celebrate the yearly youth camp right after the Christmas with street kids from market places, street kids from street corner and get-to the place gang.

Last Year 2014 the youth camp was celebrated with 118 Ebola victim orphans in Dolo Town, Maigibi County closed to the Robert International airport.

I teach finance, so let’s do the math.  

158 children at camp.  (98 from Orphanage + 10 Street Children + 50 from local churches)

4 days of camp

632 person camp days.

That is 54 cents per child per day.  

No, it will not solve all the world’s problems.  But it will give these children some structure, some learning, some food, and some hope.  That seems like a good investment to me.  Who agrees? Who is in?

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Many of you don't know about the podcast

With school starting, I think it is a good time to remind everyone about the BonaResponds' Podcast.  It is a collection of interviews done over the past year or so.  It is available online at https://soundcloud.com/jim-mahar-1soundcloud and on iTunes.

Topics include BonaResponds' History, memorable trips, discussions with key volunteers (past and present), groups we work with, updates, and  conversations about how we can make the world a little better.  I am having a great time doing them (and listening to them!).  They are really fun and informative.

The most recent one (maybe not the best quality due to a poor connection) is with the leaders of CYC-Liberia.  A group we have worked with over the past year since the Ebola crisis of 2014.


Here is the iTunes link--please subscribe and listen! :)  you will like it

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Update on many fronts

My top ten list for the week:

In this relative lull in the post snow cleanup, a fast update on other fronts:

1. A huge THANK YOU to all who helped in Buffalo!  The snow was truly breathtaking.  To see the community come together was encouraging and heart warming.  We made three trips up and had almost 50 volunteers.  We helped to clear 29 driveways, about 15 fire hydrants,  several roofs, doors, and walkways.  We now wait and hope the flooding is not too bad.

2. Haiti continues to be a source of both our great successes and bitter frustration.  First the bad news:  key parts of the solar system we donated to a school in Leogane were stolen and the one in Gonaives burned up. Because of this, we have placed the VERY needed system on hold until we can figure out how to stop the crime.    It is mindboggling frustrating and humbling.  On the positive side, we have heard great successes at schools and orphanages in Lascambas and Gonaives.  (GREAT JOB Jean and Djemson and the others)

3. Instead of solar in Haiti we will fund a few composting toilets as a test.  (At least they are tougher to steal or break!).  They will make things safer in many ways and reduce disease.   Additionally, the waste can be composted into fertilizer.  The program has the added benefit of being cheaper too!  Only $320.  We will be paying $270 on at least a couple to start.  Why $270?  A condition of one of the donors was that the Haitians raise at least some of the money as well so that they would truly see its worth and not just as another throw-away NGO handout.

4.  Also in Haiti as part of our efforts to improve education, we will be working with @Haitischolarships, some people from the St Bonaventure School of Education, as well as schools in Haiti to create better standards and on teacher training.  This will include better reporting from Haitian schools and tracking of attendance (teacher and student) and tracking improvement.  This is a BIG WIN!

5. Today the last of the money raised in the #EndEbola leaf raking campaign will go out.  If anyone wants to continue to help in a very impoverished area, we sure would love the help!  Today the CYC crew is back in Monrovia.  Their Kids Camp starts soon.  (Dec 10)

6. Our book collection has gone VERY slowly, so we will extend it until Dec 8th. Remember these are for local families with children from pre K to grade 12.  Books can be left off in 104 Swan Building on the SBU campus.

7. On Saturday night, our van suffered a broken window while parked on campus.  If anyone wants to confess to the vandalism and pay for a new window, we will NOT take it to the police nor security.

8. We will be working this weekend.  Best guess is in Olean, but we may go to Buffalo again if the needs look great still.  Stay tuned.  

9. THANK YOU to those of you who donated this past week! Denise, Todd, Sean, Pat, Ryan, Gary, Patricia, and those who helped with food this weekend.  We have said many times, but it deserves repeating "Without you, BonaResponds is just a good idea."

10. Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!  We all have so many things to be thankful for.  We often forget that when we see all misfortune and sometimes pure evil that happens.  The good is much more common even though it tries to hide itself.  Be good!  Be Safe!  Volunteer and Change the world!

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Update on Ebola Payments

English: Countries where Médecins Sans Frontières has Missions. Data from http://www.msf.org/ of the year 2009 Nederlands: Landen waar Artsen zonder Grenzen actief is. Gegevens van http://www.msf.org/ over het jaar 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finished making the latest round of   payments today to groups working to help those affected by Ebola from our  #EndEbola leaf raking project.

Donations.  $1,870 raised.
Payments to date: $1792.


Donations that have been made:  $980 to CYC Liberia, $250 to Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), $200 to Partners In Health,  $100 to  Medicus Christi, Ltd. , $100 to Catholic Relief Services , and  $100 to  CitiHope International.

Total raised to date: $1,870.  Total paid out:  $1730 + Western Union fees: $62 = $1,792.   (BonaResponds donated the gas and the rakes--including two that were broken on the event).


So currently have $78 left from the program and we expect to use this for the CYC orphanage in Monrovia.  Soon.  THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED IN ANYWAY-from raking to donating, to even spreading the word!

Update: after posting this we do have another donation coming in.  Will post it when we receive it.  

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Update III on #EndEboa

As promised, another update: 

Total pledged: $1712 

We sent the first $500 via Western Union (cost $20) this week and it was picked up today in Monrovia Liberia by Bishop Nelson.  It will be used to help CYC there feed orphans and others affected by Ebola.   This is a big win!  :)

This weekend $250 more will be sent to Doctors Without Boarders, $150 to Partners in Heath, $100 each to Catholic Relief Services and Medicuschristi.   

After that, we will send the rest by the end of the coming week. 

A few pledges have yet to be received, so if we raked your leaves (or other work the past two weekends) or if you just want to give to help those on the front lines of Ebola, now is the time. You can donate via http://BonaResponds.org BUT SINCE I WILL NOT KNOW FOR A WEEK, PLEASE reply as well so we can send the rest of the money this weekend.  (THANKS!) 

We looked into sending CYC and BR shirts as they have wished, but UPS was WAY too expensive (about $300 for a few shirts), so we will look for other ways, or just not send them. 

Pictures and more of the project are available here: 

http://bonaresponds.blogspot.com/2014/10/update-on-our-endebola-project.html

Turn up your volume:  

I will leave you with an audio thank you/update from Bishop Nelson himself:

https://soundcloud.com/jim-mahar-1/bishop-nelson-thank-you  

(the audio gets better after about the first 1/3)

THANK You again everyone!

jim 

Update on our #EndEbola project

Médecins Sans Frontières logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An update on our #EndEbola fundraiser:

Last week we raised a total of $757 and CYC raised $300.  This weekend (Halloween Weekend) will be the last before we send the money.  We have several jobs lined up so we need volunteers!    We are still hoping for $1500, but we can't do it without you!

CYC group in Dolo Town, Liberia,  Africa 

If you would still like your leaves raked still (new minimum $50 donation--we learned our lesson) please submit job at BonaResponds.org.

To volunteer: rain or shine: 10:30 on Sat and 11:15 on Sunday by the lower parking lot by the baseball field at St. Bonaventure University.


The money will go to some of the following.  You can also donate directly to them.  We will be sending the money on Sunday, so PLEASE contact us ASAP.



Groups we recommend:
1. Doctors Without Borders
2. Partners in Health
3. Catholic Relief Services:
4. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
5. http://medicuschristi.com/ a group run by a Siena Graduate
6. CitiHope: a group we have worked with in the past and hope to again!
7. CYC of Liberia (which runs service programs and children camps and are getting many additional orphans)


Here are over 60 pictures of the work last week: 

Over 15 volunteers made this large pile of leaves to help #EndEbola

Bishop Nelson and the CYC crew in Liberia sent along the following (I am combining a few messages): 

"There are new outbreak in rural area/ hour counties. 
We already a jeep with " BonaResonds/CYC-USA written on it, Please send some Tshirt by DHL... we also need a used laptop to do quality documentation and on time.
Please Brother. We need a training of trainers workshop. Try to do your best for your present in Liberia. we working on the website, it will soon be ready BUT if can help me to build, DO.

"There is a need to put all we have into the upcoming generation, theyouth, and the kids for a happy generation to come. All they have isthat which was giving to them.
Now that we are fighting Ebola together, let us save lives now,tomorrow will be too late for a soul.
These pictures were from the assessment in Dolo Town by the CYC EBOLA task force inLiberia. "

Bishop Nelson S. Boegbah"

 

 

 


Update: 11:30 AMEastern October 31, 2014:

We send the following update to those who donated to our efforts.  In an effort for total transparency, here is the email:

"Thank you to all of you who volunteered and to those who donated to have the leaves done. 

In conjunction with CYC, we have done 16 jobs so far!   Thank you to all involved!

Financially the program was a moderate success. We will likely not make our $2500 goal.  To date: 

CYC in Machias  3 jobs at $100 each

BonaResponds 12 jobs (donations ranged from $7 to $100).  

As of right now we are at $1057.  So it will go in the "better not perfect" category. But the $1000 (plus we have a pledge for another $200 to be collected from one job this coming weekend) makes it a good effort by all and will definitely help! 

We do have a few jobs left this weekend, so we'd love to have you volunteer again with us!  10:30 Sat, 11:15 on Sunday.  

The CYC group in Liberia is particularly happy about your efforts and Bishop Nelson has personally asked me to let you all know that he is praying for you and wishes you all a sincere Thank You for your efforts and donations.  You can read more from him (and see pictures from their assessment in Dolo Town Liberia at 

http://bonaresponds.blogspot.com/2014/10/update-on-our-endebola-project.html

thank you all again!

jim"

Media coverage of our #EndEbola Campaign

A fast look at some of the media coverage of our #EndEbola campaign


From the BV by Julia:

"BonaResponds began a campaign this week to raise awareness for the fight against Ebola. The group will also raise money for the organizations fighting the disease and dealing with its consequences.The campaign encourages volunteers to help rake leaves in the surrounding community. Community members who choose to have their lawns raked are asked to donate to an organization fighting Ebola....
“Suffering anywhere is suffering everywhere. I see no distinction in helping the person down the block and the person around the world except for the costs involved,” Jim Mahar, advisor of BonaResponds, said.

http://www.thebvnewspaper.com/2014/10/23/ebb-out-ebola/


From the Olean Times Herald:

"....spread this campaign by telling friends and using the hashtag #endebola on their social media profiles. BonaResponds hopes this campaign will grow into something bigger by making it a challenge, reminiscent of the recently popular “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.”Volunteers can challenge others to raise $100 for the cause or donate $10 themselves.
... because the disease is affecting such a poor part of the world, it is especially difficult to treat."

http://www.oleantimesherald.com/news/article_b9664622-5ad2-11e4-aad2-0779fdc3c4d5.html


From Time Warner Cable News Buffalo

"...if you go to BonaResponds.org they can sign up if they want their lawn mowed, or raked or anything that they want done, they can describe the job and then they can decide if they are going to make a donation to whichever group their doing it to, "

http://buffalo.twcnews.com/content/news/779704/bonaresponds-and-christian-youth-corps-team-up-to-fight-ebola/

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Some pictures from Liberia

The CYC crew in Liberia did an assessment yesterday of the area around Dolo Town.

Their take-aways:

1. Even after the crisis ends, many new orphans will need help for years.  
2. People in most areas are getting the message of how Ebola is spread.
3. By their estimates for the area they surveyed (an area heavily affected) 42% of homes lost someone (or a relative--so this could be a high estimate).
4. 1/7 of the children they dealt with are now orphaned (realize Liberia has recently had a major civil war and is a very poor area to begin with, many of the children did not have both parents to start--we do not want to overplay the deaths from Ebola).
5. They need money for more protective suits, chlorine bleach, and food.  They said a few times that food is becoming an issue as transport has slowed. 

 Here are a few of the pictures they sent:

Pictures courtesy of Bishop Nelson Sampson Boegbah 

Help #EndEbola!

Help reduce suffering in West Africa. help #EndEbola!

BonaResponds is joining forces with CYC (Christian Youth Corps) and the entire world (this can be done anywhere and by anyone!). 

The basic plan: Volunteers will do lawn work or other small chores in return for a donation that goes to those helping those on the front lines in the battle against Ebola. 

From this basic idea, the donation can work in two different ways.
1. You give us the money and we decide the actual split of the money (it will all go to the groups below)
2. You tell us how much and to whom you are donating and then make the donation on your own (you can also use the hashtag #EndEbola to share your donation and volunteer event to help!)

Groups we recommend:
1. Doctors Without Borders
2. Partners in Health
3. Catholic Relief Services:
4. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
5. http://medicuschristi.com/ a group run by a Siena Graduate
6. CitiHope: a group we have worked with in the past and hope to again!
7. CYC of Liberia (which runs service programs and children camps and are getting many additional orphans)



We need three things:
1. Work to do (we will be raking leaves and other jobs) in the Western NY and NW Pennsylvania area this weekend). You can sign up to get your lawn work done atBonaResponds.org
2. We will need volunteers (and rakes!) this weekend. 10:30 on Saturday to start from lower parking lot to the West of the baseball field. (here is a waiver form that will need to be signed: http://www.bonaresponds.org/forms/br-waiver-new.pdf)
3. We need people to help spread the word! Please use hashtags #EndEbola#BonaResponds in tweets/ Instagram or Facebook posts.

Don't have any small chores? You can still get involved. Challenge co-workers and friends to raise $100 for one of the groups or else they (and you!) each donate $10.

We'd love to have your help!

And a special note to people and groups other areas: This is totally "open source" so please please imitate US and improve/multiply our efforts! The key is getting help to the groups that need it!

PLEASE SHARE!!! This really needs to go viral! (The campaign and not the Ebola virus!  )

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