Finally Finishing Up the School Year

Dear Friends:
No one has escaped the impact of COVID-19. Yet populations like Koro are always more vulnerable in challenging times, be there days of military or civil war, economic depression, political unrest, lack of water and poor harvest in the context of subsistence farming, or pandemic. To all this is added the military coup followed by series of condemnation and different levels of embargo

Even though the few cases of COVID in Koro recovered well, except for a teacher who already had very critical health situation before 2019, there are many cases of malaria with complications making many victims here in Koro.

Thank you for your prayers and support making a big difference in our daily lives. It has been over two weeks since last hearing that someone is killed in the area of Koro because of conflict.

It is a miracle how great the school is in the middle of this disaster. We are affected but it could be way worse. Mary, our nurse is very busy treating malaria since we resumed. Many parents (not our students’ parents) kept their sick kids at home because of the fear of the medical costs. And unfortunately some of those fears end up with mourning.

We are still in the 2019-2020 school year. It will end in October and the school year 2020-2021 will begin in mid-November.

Some of our students came back to us with very strange habits. It looks like they have been surrounded with bad friends during these five months of idling hands and head.

The high school is still not operational as the government hasn't sent any students and the students sent by parents were not enough. Please pray that in the coming school year we get enough students to start the high school. For now we don't have dormitory in the school. Please pray that the campus program can be started soon. It will be an effective solution for the students who do not have their parents in Koro.

Our garden suffered from lack of water and now is suffering from too much rain. It washed away the plants. We have sesame, beans, sweet corn, okra etc. We are planning to have tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, potatoes and various melons. We are excited that it will be a great place of experimentation for our students and for us as it becomes a source of fresh food. Please pray for a good, creative and efficient gardening program for the students and the teachers.

We paused the three classes construction project because of the rain and too much wind.
When I look back a year, I see that we have done huge progress.
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We look with gratitude at all the good work we have accomplished together to expand the Kingdom of the Lord.
 
God bless you and be with you as we keep playing our part in this ministry we do together.
 
Your friend Ibrahima and all the Grace School team in Koro.