LOHP, Inc. 2024 Priority Needs
Priority Need #1:
Renovation of our brick two-story school building: $4,500US
We are seeking funding to correct structural integrity of our school building within the compound of the Salvation in Christ Orphanage and Humanitarian Refuge Home. This structure was built to provide education to the residents of the orphanage home as well as to children within the Paynesville Community whose parents could not afford tuition from neighboring schools. It was built at the end of Liberia’s 14-year civil war and the local engineers who worked on this project made a miscalculation concerning the supporting beams for the second level. A recent assessment by a highly recognized engineer of the cause of ceiling issues revealed the full scope of the problems. The cost to correct these issues to ensure the structural integrity of this structure is $4,500US.
Priority Need #2:
Construction of a Residential/Multi-Purpose Building: $35,000US We are seeking to build a two-story brick building. There will be multi-purpose training rooms (sewing, musical instruction, and choir practice, etc.) on the first level. Currently, there isn’t sufficient room in the current school building for the envisioned expansion of training courses; therefore, this building is desperately needed. The second floor will house a boy’s dormitory. The Liberian government has requested that the small boys who currently live in the main residential facility, where girls also reside, be relocated to a separate building.
Priority Need #3:
A Car/Multi-Passenger Vehicle: $5,000US (vehicle cost) and $300US (insurance) The car previously used by SIC is no longer operational. Liberia does not have public transportation and the absence of a vehicle has created many obstacles to getting things done. A private vehicle will transport multiple children to church, higher education/vocational programs, doctor’s offices and shopping for food and other items. It can take hours to get transportation from one point to another, both ways. With the increase in various bacteria outbreaks, this also exposes the staff and orphanage residents to the infections. The cost of the vehicle is $5,000US and registration & annual insurance is $300US.
Priority Need #4:
Two Trucks for transportation and for income generating purposes. $20,800US ($10,000US (vehicle cost) and $400US (insurance) is needed to purchase two trucks for transporting goods from the interior to the inner city to reduce the cost of purchase and allow for bulk purchasing for many daily items. The trucks are also needed for generating income. We are the sole source of funding for all of our projects and the operation of trucks in Liberia would create jobs for those who the graduate from high school and would generate enough income to reduce, by half, the dependency upon our funding.
Priority Need #5:
Internet Service to develop an Educational Satellite System::$2,312US (one-year service) and $150 monthly thereafter. Ensuring the delivery of quality education to the recipients in our projects continues to be a challenge. With a small investment the SIC compound can become a resource and development training hub which can provide quality education to many beyond beneficiaries of its current projects. The first step is to establish internet services within the compound which will be a gateway of knowledge that has never been available before. The benefits of having this resource of access in all subject areas and in various technologies, vocational and technical skills are immeasurable. International support from virtual teachers/trainers will add to the scope of this project. It can also become a revenue generating project for the orphanage. An initial investment of $2,312US for one year provision of internet services including the $150US monthly service charge is being sought.
Priority Need #6:
Increasing Solar System Capacity $13,500US
To meet the demand for additional electrical power, we are also appealing for 20 solar panels (250 watts - $250US each), 20 solar panel batteries (12 volt, 200amp - $350US each), interverter (3.5 kva - $1,000US) and a charge controller (1,000 watts -$500US) to augment our existing Solar Panel System which is often overpowered by the electrical load demand. The newly operational Liberian government electricity is not stable or reliable and is causing many issues within the country, as they are experiencing blackouts on a regular basis. The loss of electrical power interferes with ability to have sufficient power for our programs.
Priority Need #7:
Ceramic Floor Tile Project: We are in need of donated ceramic floor tiles for five buildings within the orphanage compound. The floor measurement for each of the two levels of the school building is 39x39 feet totaling 3,402 square feet. The floor measurement for SIC main house bedrooms and office is 1,153 square feet, the SIC back porch is 90 square feet (outside tiles); kitchen building is 397 square feet (inside) and 196 square feet (outside tiles) and bathhouse is 336 square feet. All medium to large ceramic tile donations are welcomed. The total square footage for inside areas is 5,288 square feet and 286 square feet for outside areas.
Priority Need #8:
Thirty All-in-One Desktop computers:$18,000US ($600US each)
The eight computers in their current computer lab are extremely outdated with VISTA and XP operating systems and are no longer compatible for various IT programs. We are seeking 30 All-in-One desktop computers in order to alleviate obstacles to accessing information via the web so we can expand teaching, addition will also allow an increase in the number of students in the computer lab.
Priority Need #9:
An Air Conditioning Unit for the Computer Lab: $500US An air conditioning unit is needed for temperature control for the computers and printers.
Priority Need #10:
Two Color Printers:: $800US Currently, there are no color printers in the school. Studies show that color-printed educational materials increase student’s attention, learning and retention. Printers will also ensure printing opportunities for students and for staff responding to requests for reports. The cost for two printers is $400US and the annual cost for ink is $400US annually.
Priority Need #11:
Free Lunch Program for SIC School Students: $12,500US There is an urgent need to establish a free lunch program for 200 SIC school students. With Liberia’s 85% unemployment rate, most of these students come from extremely poor single family homes where they only eat one meal per day and often times, it is not nutritionally balanced. As such, most come to school without breakfast and have no lunch. Their evening meal is all they eat. Reducing hunger pains throughout the school day will significantly increase learning and retention. The cost of providing each lunch is $.30US per meal for 20 days per month (4,000 meals) for a nine-month school session totaling $10,800US. We are also seeking $1,700US for start up costs for: cooking pots, coal pots, cooking utensils, bowls, cups, silverware, this amount includes washing powder and coal for the first year. Community volunteers will cook the meals.
Priority Need #12:
Educational Scholarships for 50 SIC school students: $7,500US
Establish an annual educational scholarship for 50 students ($150US each to include $90US tuition + $60US for two uniforms, shoes, gym uniform/tennis shoes, and school supplies). Forty US dollars is about ¾ of an average month’s salary for many Liberians. That’s why SIC’s school structured its costs so low and is the least expensive in the community. Nevertheless, hundreds of neighborhood children’s parents simply struggle for daily food and cannot pay any cost for tuition, uniforms and school supplies. Sadly, many who are fortunate enough to enroll often dropout because their parents cannot afford to pay the balance fees or uniform costs. A full scholarship would give such children an opportunity to become educated and equip them with the tools needed to escape a life of extreme poverty and hopelessness.
