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ANNUAL REPORT 
[ Advocacy ]  [ Projects ]  [ Organizational Matters ] 

JUNE 1, 2003 – MAY 31, 2004

 This period has been an important time of renewal for Friends of Liberia upon the departure of the long time meritorious leadership of Jim Gray (to take a position in Sierra Leone) in February 2003. This occurred  just as the political crises in Liberia reached critical stages culminating in the departure of Charles Taylor as President of Liberia and the installation of a transitional government under Gyude Bryant with UN backing and the deployment of UN peace keeping forces. Accordingly, Frank Ardaiolo, Chair of the Board of Trustees, assumed the Presidency of Friends of Liberia until Stephanie Vickers was selected Interim President on February 14, 2004 (pending the next regularly held election of the membership).

 At its February 14, 2004 Board meeting, FOL also adopted the following revised mission statement:

 Friends of Liberia (FOL), a nongovernmental nonprofit membership organization, seeks to positively affect Liberia and Liberians through educational, social, and humanitarian programs and through advocacy efforts.

Respectfully submitted,

 Frank P. Ardaiolo

 Frank P. Ardaiolo, Ed. D.

Chair, Board of Trustees

 

LIST OF FOL ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD

 

ADVOCACY

 

  • Posted on FOL website “THE CASE FOR IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION IN LIBERIA FOR AMERICAN AFRICANS” on July 4, 2003.

 

  • Posted on FOL website and distributed the press release “THE LIBERIAN CRISIS: A CALL TO ACTION” on July 7, 2003 (subsequently posted on many other Web sites).

 

  • Assisted drafting and signed Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA) letter of May 30, 2003 and July 21, 2003 to President Bush urging needed American assistance. Also supported open letter to the US Government of August 12, 2003. Endorsed Liberia Watch letter to President Bush of August 14, 2003.

 

  • Provided interviews, consulting, or background information to the following media: The Globe and Mail (Toronto); CASH Magazine (Zurich); Fox News TV (Charlotte); KPSA radio (Berkeley); National Public Radio (Washington); Voice of America (Washington); National Geographic (Washington); The Herald (Rock Hill, SC); Charlotte Observer; Augusta Journal; WBBW radio (Youngstown, Ohio); ABC TV (Schenectady, NY);  TalkSport (London); BBC Radio 5 (London); et. al.

 

  • Had articles published in the Charlotte Observer; The Herald (Rock Hill, SC); San Francisco Chronicle; and Jonesboro Sun (Arkansas); et. al.

 

  • Joined Liberia Watch, a non-partisan coalition concerned with bringing peace and

post-conflict reconstruction to Liberia in Washington, DC, by keeping member NGO’s informed of events in Liberia and supporting advocacy efforts for US Government initiatives in Liberia.

 

  • Renewed membership in InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, and provided updates for their “Emergency in Liberia” initiative. Participate in their Humanitarian Policy and Practice Unit Liberian Working Group meetings.

 

  • Provided testimony before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus on “Liberia: A Case for Intervention? The Human Rights & Humanitarian Background,” on July 9, 2003.

 

  • Supported the “Situation in Liberia,” a statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold on the Senate floor, July 9, 2003.

 

  • Assisted White House peace demonstration and vigils, July 2003, and one on August 22, 2003.

 

  • Signed Liberian Studies Association petition for intervention to the US Government July 23, 2003.

 

  • Attended an invitation only working group on current conditions and to explore ideas about how best to support peace and reconciliation in Liberia by the Carter Center, Atlanta, GA.

 

  • Exchanged Web links with various NGO’s such as Action Against Hunger.

 

  • Authorized sponsorship of the Academy of Educational Development forum on Liberia.

 

  • Used the FOL email distribution system maintained by Indiana University to broadcast timely updates and public service announcements.

 

  • Signed statement addressed to Members of the United States Congress requesting an allocation of 1% of the Emergency Supplemental (now limited to only Iraq and Afghanistan) to Liberia and West Africa. This statement was circulated by IRC, USCR and OXFAM.

 

  • Supported the appearance of Liberian refugees in the US in their appeal for immigration relief before the US Congress.

 

  • Attended the February 2004 United Nations Donors Conference in New York among the few NGO invitees.

 

 

PROJECTS

 LEAP (Liberian Education Assistance Program) continued this year as the primary FOL initiative even amidst the difficult country situation. In December 2003, two LEAP teachers (Stephanie Vickers and Joan Hamilton) returned to Monrovia to survey conditions while reinforcing the establishment of LET (LEAP Extension Team) as a Liberian based NGO.  LET is designed to carryout the concepts developed by the LEAP teachers in their three previous one month workshop sessions carried out since 1999. Eighteen previously trained LEAP primary school teachers and principals were able to meet at this time.  FOL LEAP coordinators also met with the Liberian Minister of Education, the American Ambassador to Liberia, and other key players in the humanitarian and relief community beginning to establish itself in and around Monrovia as the fragile peace took hold. The Minister of Education endorsed the LEAP training methods as the program to follow for all K-3 schools in Liberia.  Further discussions are currently underway attempting to make this endorsement a reality for all Liberian children in the K-3 grades.

 

  • Other projects facilitated or funded this year through FOL have included the following:

 

  • Refurbishment and provision of supplies to the Gardnersville Central Academy school.

 

  • Assistance in publishing the Liberian Women Peacemakers book with the UN Office of Project Services that chronicles the past fourteen year struggle of Liberian women fighting for the right to be seen, heard, and counted.

 

  • Fund raising activities for schools and emergency relief initiatives conducted in Spokane, Washington, D.C., and Schenectady.

 

  • Conducted a survey of needs of the University of Liberia for the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia headquartered in Boston.

 

 

 

ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

 

  • Conducted two Board of Trustees meetings: October 17, 2003 in Myrtle Beach, SC and February 14, 2004 in Washington, DC.

 

  • Renewed its membership roles and mechanisms for becoming a member of the organization.

 

  • Conducted a FOL reunion event in Myrtle Beach, SC.

 

  • Converted the periodic FOL newsletter from a hard copy paper format to one that will be distributed electronically.

 

  • Filled vacancies on its Board of Trustees and key executive officer positions including President, Vice President, Treasurer, Advocacy Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Newsletter Editor.

 

  • Entered a partnership relationship with the Indiana University Liberian Collections for the weekly electronic distribution of Liberian news clipped from the world’s press.

 

  • Renewed FOL membership in InterAction and the National Peace Corp Association.

 

  • Submitted its calendar year 2003 financial records for an independent auditor’s report conducted by Inouye, Shively, & Longtin, Certified Public Accountants of Laguna Hills, CA, that determined “the year ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.”