Welcome (A)Board Tina!

If you attended our Sweet 16 celebration, you were lucky to share in an authentic Liberian meal prepared by Chef and Owner of Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen Tina Fahnbulleh. We are honored to also have her share her time and talents as she joins Hope's Board of Directors.

Tina and her team at Hope’s Sweet 16

Tina became familiar with Hope as she worked with us at our last two events by using her culinary and cultural influences to make them special. Our board of directors approached her to see if she would be interested in joining. Born in Liberia and raised in Ghana, Tina will be a unique asset to the stateside board.

And speaking of Hope's Sweet 16...the night was magical. Your collective generosity raised nearly $80,000 in one-time, new and increased recurring gifts to support the educational dreams of the 1300+ students at Hope International. Our hearts are full.

Mark your calendars for May 3rd, 2025 when we will gather again to celebrate Hope! If you don't want to wait until then to sample Tina's West African inspired dishes, you can visit her restaurant Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen at 1011 Boren Avenue in Seattle. You can read more about her restaurant in the Seattle Met. 

We are excited to welcome Tina to the board!

The Final Push

 
 

We wish Hope International’s seniors success as they begin their testing on May 15th for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Passing this exam is a requirement to receive a high school diploma in Liberia.

Over the next month, many schools will be using Hope’s campus for their testing. It’s an honor that we have a campus that accommodates so many important needs in the community.

Other schools testing on Hope International's campus

The 2023/2024 school year officially ends on July 13th. Results from the WASSCE testing are scheduled to be released over the summer and the Class of 2024 will graduate soon after.

Good luck seniors, we are cheering you on as you take this final step towards graduation. And congratulations to all the seniors in your lives that will be receiving their high school diplomas!

So many things made possible through your generosity.

More Than Just a Pest

 
 

In case you missed it, on April 25th World Malaria Day was observed to bring attention to the efforts being made to bring an end to malaria and encourage action to reduce suffering and death from the disease. It remains at the top of the list for causes of death in Liberia.

It was a big day in Liberia as the health department announced that the vaccination RTS,S would be added to the immunization protocol for children in Liberia. This vaccination (developed by British Pharmaceutical Manufacturer GSK and approved by the World Health Organization) is the world's first malaria vaccine.

Though its efficacy is only 39% (we can hope it will improve), the number of children infected with malaria in Liberia and other sub-Saharan African countries is so high, that even this number will save thousands and thousands of lives. 35% of children in Liberia under five are infected with malaria.

 

Hope International's school nurse's April report

Sonnie, Hope International's school nurse, sent us her report for April and as you can see 21 of her visits were from students, staff, and community members having a bout of malaria. Once infected, people face bouts of sickness throughout their lives, impacting quality of life and expectancy significantly. 

Sonnie has three medications on hand to treat the symptoms of malaria when patients come to the medical clinic.

Sonnie Guzeh, Hope International’s school nurse since 2015

Thank you for your support of our school medical clinic, which serves students, staff, and community members dealing with the very real impacts of malaria and so many other conditions.

Hoping Together for an End,
The Hope Project

 

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