Empowering Women and Girls

Progress Made on the Project "Caring for Children Affected by EBOLA (19501)." The THINK Retreat Center for children affected by the Ebola EVD located in the ELWA Community, has provided counseling, shelter and recreational activities for 60 children (36 EVD affected children and 24 children survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). There were 5 community members that registered to become foster parents. 23 children have been reunified and 5 children are to be placed with foster families after their training. 36 EVD Children Disaggregation by sex: boys 14 and girls 22. 36 EVD Children Disaggregation by age: (0 - 5) = 5 (6 - 12) = 16 (13 - 17) = 12 (18 - 24) = 2 (Age not known) = 1 The 24 SGBV survivors were all girls. Disaggregation by age: (0 - 5) = 0 (6 - 12) = 10 (13 - 17) = 14 Feature Story I am 14 years old and was born in Nimba County in northern Liberia. My father was a farmer and contracted the EVD from one of his workmates. When my dad got sick, he was taken to and Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) for treatment but did not survive. My mother was caring for my father and also got infected that way. She too got sick a few weeks after and died. I was left alone and until a businesswoman saw me and took me into her home. After a few months, the woman heard that a family in Monrovia wanted to foster a boy. The businesswoman sent brought me to Monrovia to live with the family. After a few weeks at the new home, Social Workers from THINK came to document children in the Duazon Community and that is how I was brought to the THINK Retreat Center for counseling. After a month in the center, I was reunified with my foster parents and then relatives from Nimba heard that I survived and came to receive me from my foster parents. I enjoyed my time at the retreat center and feel much better now. I didn't want to leave the THINK Retreat Center because I know that I will not get better care with relatives in Nimba County. I want to go to school so that I will be able to live a better life. I thank all of the people that helped THINK to have a good place for us to overcome our bad feelings about losing our parents. Thank You! The Board of Directors, staff, children and communities we serve are very grateful to all of you our donors and partners for your meaningful contributions that have make it possible for us to reach out and help EVD affected children, child survivors of SGBV and other vulnerable children. The 5-K Run / Walk event in Orangeburg, South Carolina on April 18, 2015 went well and the people of Orangeburg supported the Run, Chicken Bar-B-Q and donated school supplies and materials for the THINK Rehabilitation Home. The materials donated were packed on a container to be shipped to Liberia in July. Funds raised helped to pay for the shipping cost of the container. THINK will help children affected by EVD to get back in school and to help families that are taking them into their homes as new family members. We give a big THANK YOU to all who generously gave. Packing donated items to be loaded onto the 20-foot container for THINK Liberia What Do You Think? Guess what? Wal-Mart donated generously to THINK Liberia during the fund raising events in Orangeburg, SC! What do you think we should do to get the attention of other corporations to become supporters too?