Mission Honduras International + Liberia Mission Inc.Highlights of 2010-2011

It is with great pleasure that we share with you some of the highlights of the 2010-2011 year at Mission Honduras International and Liberia Mission Inc. It has been a year of renewal and growth for us, with new partners in the mission, new development, new initiatives, and new opportunities for connecting with our sisters and brothers in Liberia, across the ocean in prayer, word, and deed. Through this renewal and growth, we have been able to expand and enhance our programming at Liberia Mission to further our goals of alleviating poverty and promoting transformation by providing quality Catholic education, a loving home, and life skills training for children and youth so that they may become capable, responsible, and compassionate citizens and future leaders of Liberia.

Liberia Mission Inc. Highlights

Residential Life

  • In collaboration with the house parents, drafted, presented, posted, and implemented a Resident Life Handbook
  • Established clear discipline plan and discipline committee; more education for and collaboration with house parents
  • Improved procurement and distribution systems for food and supplies
  • Formed youth leadership program
  • Policies for the Protection of Beneficiaries (Child Protection Program) implemented, with children and staff being trained
  • Replaced mosquito nets and mattresses
  • Hired a Spiritual Development coordinator who has improved activities surrounding prayer, mass, religious education, and spirituality
  • Improved library
  • Integrated boys and girls schedules and activities so that overall activities are more cohesive and that boys and girls learn to work, play, and grow together
  • Girls’ sporting program established
  • Held successful celebrations and parties, especially those devised by Liberians themselves
  • Improved grounds and facilities (both soccer pitches, goat pen, area outside girls’ fence, pigpen, security booth)
  • Allowed students to participate in community sporting activities, including one student who shows athletic promise and currently plays in a select team at the national level
  • Storage rooms being cleared and/or organized so that the rooms can be used for housing and activities for the children and staff
  • Established computers for use, introducing them to house parents and some children
  • Established new computer lab (summer 2011) and began development of computer program
  • Improvement of residential student files and information and familiarity with families
  • Established “student of the day” program
  • Enhanced extracurricular activity program
  • Access to water improved (piping to girls’ dorm built, new well constructed)
  • Held checkers and football tournaments
  • Improved security practices (oversight of security, additional guard hired, visitor/staff/resident logbooks implemented, security booth built, etc.)
  • Workshops being held periodically for students to learn about personal development, etc.
  • Working with high school and college students to learn about life skills such as budgeting, being responsible for an allowance, keeping a schedule, accountability and communication with house parents and staff, etc.
  • Re-installment of the annual Mission Closing Program for children and families, which showcased the fruits of the mission for family, friends and community members
  • Held first summer camp, planned and led by current and former beneficiary leaders
Education

  • Overall staff morale is very high, with open and transparent communications encouraged among school staff and between school and mission administrators and staff
  • School administration and faculty overall have become very active in improving instruction, student activities, oversight, administrative systems, planning, budgeting, etc.
  • Policies for the Protection of Beneficiaries implemented, with children and staff being trained
  • New classroom construction completed, which allow for better study environment for children and increased staff relations, morale, and collaboration by centralizing all classes in the main school area
  • Successfully negotiated a beneficiary’s transition to college

Health

  • Medical doctor available onsite to assess overall health and hygiene on campus, to take care of resident children’s ailments, and to be a resource of medical knowledge for staff and occasional visitors from the community
  • Liberian clinician identified to take over health initiatives on campus
  • Better and less expensive supplier of medications identified
  • Medical files and annual physical exam established for each child
  • Overall medical protocol established
  • House parents educated in basic triage for cuts, sores, headaches, etc.
  • More hygienic dishwashing, bathing, laundry and drinking water systems established
  • Vaccination drives done for measles and ivermectin
  • Increased knowledge of and connections with a variety of local clinics, hospitals, medical resources, and key medical persons in Liberia

Staffing Capacity and Work Environment

  • Standardized work schedules and leave time policies
  • Increased relationships & communication between international and Liberian staff through monthly “all staff” meetings and ongoing collaborative efforts
  • Improved staff morale by promoting communication, consistent meetings, and empowerment such as involving local staff in budget discussions, disciplinary committee, information and idea sharing, etc.
  • Policies for the Protection of Beneficiaries implemented, with children and staff being trained
  • Improved care for children, education, and overall mission functioning by hiring 2 house parents (one who is dedicated to developing spiritual programming, the other who is designated to be a primary mother-figure for the boys), 4.5 new school teachers, a designated choir director for the church, a Liberian logistics officer, an additional cook, an additional security guard
  • Improving living situation for international staff (re-organizing dining and office areas, getting internet access on campus, having more opportunities to explore Monrovia and beyond, providing stipend, etc.)
  • Development of Human Resources: Policies and Procedures completed (includes employee handbook, job descriptions, contract letters and documents, systems for hiring, leave time, disciplinary action, appraisals, record keeping, payroll and pay-scale, income tax obligations, social security withholdings, etc.)
  • Began process of envisioning and mission statement formation
  • Established more transparent and logical bookkeeping system at school and mission.
  • Staff are praying more together in both informal and formal settings

Community Relations

  • Relations established and being cultivated with other recognized and/or upstanding child welfare organizations in Liberia
  • Strengthening of collaboration, networking, and friendships with various persons and organizations in the Liberian Catholic community
  • Strengthening of collaboration, networking, and friendships with various persons and organizations in the Liberian development (NGO) community
  • Increased understanding and resource building with the personnel and processes of various key institutions such as the bank and government ministries
  • Strengthening of relations with community members through formal and informal activity and/or social relations between mission staff and children and community activities or persons
  • Adult Literacy Program hosted on school campus is continuing and thriving


Mission Honduras International Highlights

Partners in Mission

  • Welcomed new Board member, Jerome C. Cabeen, former LMI Director
  • Welcomed in the Spring/Summer of 2010, five long-term volunteer international staff who served for a year or more at Liberia Mission: Bernardine Ileto, Director; Brian Chan, Medical Director; Amy Spelz, Program Coordinator for Community Development; Matthew Travis; Program Coordinator for Organizational Development; and Christopher Keeney, Program Coordinator for Education. We are very blessed that Chris has continued on as Interim Director while we continue our leadership transition in fall 2011
  • Welcomed nearly 200 new supporters to the MHI/LMI family, and new sponsors to our sponsorship program from across the country.
  • Established the framework for a volunteer program at Liberia Mission and welcomed several short and mid-term volunteers, as well as several volunteer groups. Among their numerous contributions, two that stand out are our new Liberia Mission blog and the new computer lab just completed this month at the mission.
  • Connected several parish groups and countless individuals wishing to volunteer in Honduras with Olancho Aid Foundation. All gave exceptional reviews of their experience with Olancho Aid and plan to return for years to come.
  • Oversaw the development and implementation of the new, comprehensive and Liberia-specific child protection program, Policies for the Protection of Beneficiaries.  

New Initiatives and Partners in Development

  • Successful "Build a Classroom..." Campaign, which raised funds for the new classroom building completed this year. MHI Intern Robyn Kilman from DePaul University planned a successful fundraiser at GreenHeart in Chicago; Students at Seton Hill University raised $5000 through their creative event, Mission ImPROMible; and Volunteer Lindsay Gallmann raised funds through Causes on Facebook during the challenge match.
  • Presented during dozens of Masses through Diocesan mission appeals, with volunteer speakers traveling from the Northeast, to the South, to the West Coast to spread the word about Liberia Mission and engage new supporters. And these are only just a few of the groundswell of activities that have taken place this year to keep the work of LMI going strong now and into the future.
  • The Martin/Dewan Liberia Challenge Match was a miracle of love. This "Triple your Gift" match campaign exceeded its goal of $150,000 and because of a generous outpouring of support, we raised more than $196,662!

While there have been many successes over the past year, there is more that must be accomplished. In that light, I will share some of our goals:

  • Provide support and programs for our children who continue to grow and whose needs are expanding. To best address the needs of our young people, we must provide for the next phase of their education with the development of high school linkage, vocational programs, and partnership with the University.
  • Continue to improve the quality of our programs through the hiring of new Liberian staff and the development of opportunities for professional training and development.
  • Ensure the sustainability of our mission through new partnerships, both in Liberia and in the U.S. and to continue our strong relationship with the Conventual Franciscans.

These successes are your successes, dedicated friends and supporters of MHI / LMI. These goals are our goals too, and we ask you to continue to work with us to achieve them.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support – without you, none of this would be possible. We look forward to continuing this work with you at the service of one another and our Liberian family members who are striving for a brighter future.

May God bless you abundantly,
Bob O'Dwyer Signature
Bob O’Dwyer, Board President, and all of us at Mission Honduras International and Liberia Mission Inc.