Since she herself was very poor and also had a daughter to look after, I helped her to open a small business on the refugee camp where she sold clean drinking water. Another person I met at the time became my first online son, whom I helped to run a small photo shop..

Both of these businesses cost around $ 2500, but with the revenue they were able to support themselves and four other people. After more and more people from Africa sent me friend invitations, I came up with the idea of HEARTHS and started our online group on Facebook in late 2013. While we only had a few hundred members at the beginning, we have grown to several thousand members since then, and we are constantly growing.

The majority of our members are Liberian refugees, widows and orphans living in the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana, but we also have many members in Liberia, Uganda, Kenya, Gambia and other African countries. Most of them are very poor and have no schooling, but many of our other members are artists, students, models. Writer, DJ's and director of various humanitarian aid organizations and orphanages in Africa.

Over the years I have also found a team of highly educated, trustworthy and committed people

which have all become part of the HEARTHS management team.

With their help, we have conducted many group meetings and small projects over the years.

Information about that you can find on the following HEARTHS blog:

The main problem is that most people can hardly read and write, and mainly use the internet to surf and chat on social networks to find sponsors. They lack academic, technical and professional skills, a healthy self-confidence, as well as the belief in themselves and their own powers to create positive change.

We therefore suggest the following:

1. The establishment of a school, online via Facebook, Skype or Zoom, in connection with physical meetings on the refugee camp in Ghana, Liberia, Uganda and all over Africa, so that our members can gain practical skills on how they can help themselves and one another. For this purpose, we will invite a prominent teacher from the community at each meeting, who will then teach based on selected topics such as personal hygiene, project development, leadership skills, effective communication, conflict and problem resolution, the importance of trust, honesty and teamwork.

2. In our efforts to be better organized, we would like to rent an office space for regular meetings and workshops, but also as a counseling center for many of the traumatized young people. The cost to rent this space at the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana is approximately $ 1200 for two years. In Liberia we also found a place that was provided free of charge by one of our members, but needs renovation, which will cost around $ 1000.

3. Establishing simple businesses. such as a used clothing store, a photo shop, a phone card shop, rice, handmade art and jewelry, and sticks for the elderly. The costs for these companies range from around $700 to $2,000. With the income of those businesses, entire families can support themselves, and are then no longer dependent on outside help.

So that we can build a strong organizational structure which enables us to help the many poor people in Africa learn how to help themselves. you can do the following to support us in our mission:

1 Use your time and your energy to help HEARTHS increase our activities and the presence of social networks, create project proposals and fundraise.

2 Join our group on Facebook and teach an online course on a variety of topics such as effective communication, math and english, developing skills and virtues, and help inspire our members with kindness, love and hope.

3 Help with a financial donation at gofundme.com/f/hearths-community-development-in-africa

4 Start a fundraiser for school supplies such as pens, writing paper, textbooks and calculators, as well as used cell phones, cameras, laptops, clothing, medicines and disinfectants.

5 Recommend HEARTHS to other organizations and individuals who could also support our work. Introduce us to your friends and family and publish our organization on your website, social media page and as an email signature.

In the following you can see videos with excerpts from HEARTHS group meetings in Liberia, Uganda and Ghana

We thank you very much for your time and attention, and we would

whole-heartedly appreciate it you would support in our mission.

At least 25% of the income from my services will be donated to the HEARTHS Project.