Circle of Youth of Mayumba

computer donation

2009-11-04T21:14:00.004-05:00

Thanks to my friends in the IT department at Planned Parenthood,
computers are on their way to Mayumba. Old but functional CPUs for Windows
and basic computer learning. No huge, heavy weight monitors, we'll look to fundraise
or even seek additional donations of smaller, lighter flat screen monitors.
Shipping overseas by plane? crazy costly. By boat? may never get there!
stay tuned...help is on the way...thanks Nelson Peralta, 20 plus year staff member
at the PP national office in New York City.

2009-10-24T23:37:00.001-04:00

classroom in the elementary school in Mayumba.

2009-10-24T23:31:00.001-04:00

school supplies sent to Mayumba in 2007....notebooks, writing tools, books, CDs, flashdrives,
condoms (education is HIV prevention!)

Fouty's English Class Aug 2006

2009-03-12T21:24:00.004-04:00

Watch Fouty teach English during the summer program
in Mayumba, August 2006.
The photos that follow are pictures of my former
students from 1997 now teachers themselves!
The music bed by my favorite Gabonese artist,
Oliver Ngoma - selection Nge.

If you have trouble viewing the video
go to http://gallery.me.com/kmonique/100086

2009-03-12T20:29:00.004-04:00

List of needed books from the President, Mr. Judicael MBATCHI:

les livres nombre prix unitaire prix total

livre d'anglais 30 5.250fcfa 157.500f.cfa English books

livre de mathematique 25 4.700fcfa 117.500f.cfa Math books

livre de physique 25 6.750fcfa 168.750f.cfa Chemistry books

livre de science naturelle 20 7.150 fcfa 143.000f.cfa Biology books

TOTAL...............................................586.750F.CFA
THIS EQUALS $1143.34 in needed US dollars!
The school program begins May 24, 2009.

update

2007-06-15T23:14:00.000-04:00

The Circle of Youth of Mayumba planting trees to save their environment. This is all a part of the education effort
being undertaken by my former students (10 years ago!) to reach back to their village. Summer school program begins
in August. Please see the Make a Donation link on the right.
Thank you on behalf of the youth of Mayumba!

Tracking the Package!!

2007-02-21T10:12:00.000-05:00

2/22/2007 11:13 am Clearance processing complete. Libreville, Gabon
9:53 am Arrived at DHL facility. Libreville, Gabon
2/21/2007 5:00 pm Depart Facility. Lagos, Nigeria
1:08 pm Arrived at DHL facility. Lagos, Nigeria
4:44 am Depart Facility. Brussels, Belgium
2/20/2007 11:04 pm Arrived at DHL facility. Brussels, Belgium
9:30 am Depart Facility. New York, NY
2/19/2007 7:55 pm Departing origin. Long Island, NY
6:59 pm Picked Up by DHL. Public Drop Box

It Takes a Village

2007-02-19T19:57:00.000-05:00

Finally, after several months since I returned from Mayumba this past summer, I was able to get a 23lb. box of school supplies and other sundry items off to the Circle of Youth today! A village effort no doubt. Thanks to my sister Kenyon and her daughter Imani, we packed up a box with donations from the family.

*Imani donated notebooks and looseleaf paper
*My father 2 pairs of gently worn Nikes
*Aysha pens and financial assistance with shipping the box
*Pens from just about every hotel I've stayed in since my return- the Marriot and Hilton will be well recognized in Mayumba!
*My sister Kenyon - the DHL hookup from a co-worker's husband (we saved over $200 on the shipment) and the packaging materials to secure the box (brown shipping paper, etc.)

Here are the expressions of the students themselves, those who are members of the youth group Cercle de Reflection des Jeunes de Mayumba pour le Developpment
or Circle of Youth of Mayumba for Development:

Dear brothers and sisters from the U.S.A, as Ms. Monique Johnson
might have told you about me I'm
Mr.Fouty. I'm 22, and one of the English teachers, though I'm per-
suing the "Etudes Ibériques" at our university. Indeed, during the
holiday time I usually go to Mayumba to contribute to the education of our little brothers and sisters that'll ensure an efficient progress of both: the
small town and themselves. However, that is a very difficult task,
cause of the lack of means; be it material or financial. Thus, I hope
you'll manage thanks to Miss monique to provide us some help. Thank you very much. ~Fouty ROMARIC

So happy to see picturs of the school , that is going ta make a donation to the circle of youth of Mayumba. all of members of the association are very happy to see that our idea is appreciated in usa. so tell them please that we thank them very much about what they are goinG to do for the Circle of Youth of Mayumba;and it is in that way we want to help little brothers and sisters.
Those who lead LAWRENCE ROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL have to be thanked.thank you!!!!
~Judicael MBATCHI, President, Cercle des Jeunes de Mayumba

COMPUTER CLASS (literally, since there was only ONE computer) Mayumba Elementary School, August 2006

2007-01-25T19:11:00.000-05:00

January 25, 2007 message from Judicael MBATCHI, President of the Circle of Youth of Mayumba Association:

Good evening Monique!!!
So happy to see pictures of the school that is going to make a donation to the Circle of Youth of Mayumba. All of members of the association are very happy to see that our idea is appreciated in USA. So tell them please that we thank them very much about what they are going to do for the Circle of Youth of Mayumba; and it is in that way we want to help little brothers and sisters.

Monique, we have received a letter from the students of the elementary school of Mayumba ,they want to be taught also very much in technology but there is the problem of computers please do not forget. God bless you!!!!

Lawrence Road Middle School Helps

2007-01-13T17:50:00.000-05:00

Velma Adams, (left) Assistant Principal, and Victoria Jernick, Student Council Coordinator from the Lawrence Road Middle School share their excitement on behalf of the students and faculty. Friday, January 5, I gave them a "mini-presentation" with pictures of "then-and-now" of my time spent in Mayumba. I introduced them to the Circle of Youth via pictures. They were encouraged and enthusiastic about having their students make international connections with the students of the Circle of Youth Association. Check back often for the Lawrence Road Middle School donation-raising ideas!

Circle of friends for the Circle of Youth Mayumba

2007-01-08T10:47:00.000-05:00

Jill Williams, longtime friend and colleague has been a wonderful supporter of youth in Mayumba, Gabon dating back to my first trip in 1997. Following my recent return last summer, Jill has involved her 11 year-old son Devin and his elementary school, Lawrence Road Middle School, to donate school supplies to the Circle of Youth.

TCHIVOUNDA parle

2006-11-17T23:33:00.000-05:00

Gildas est son fils, YANTZE.
Il parle en bas de la futur du generation de Mayumba.

Gildas and his son Yantze. He speaks below about the future generation of Mayumba. (English translation follows)

POURQUOI AVOIR CEER LE C.R.J.M.D ?

Les motivations qui nous ont amenées a créer le CRJMD sont liées au désir d’améliorer les résultats scolaire de nos frères du CES de Mayumba après avoir été désagréablement choqué par la médiocrité des résultats que nous a sorti le CES de Mayumba entre 1998 et 2004. Les élèves de 6e, 5e, 4e et de 3e ont pendant cette période, affrontés certaines année scolaire sans professeurs d’anglais, de français et de biologie. Même ceux des classes d’examen. Voilà pourquoi en effet, notre association vise comme objectifs :
-dynamiser l’éducation des jeunes de la Banio.
-mener des réflexions continues sur la situation intellectuelle des jeunes et sur le thème : Mayumba, une population, un développement.
-favoriser l’unité et l’entraide entre jeunes.
-promouvoir le patrimoine culturel, artistique et touristique de la Banio, puis l’aménagement de certains espaces publics.

QUE SOUHAITONS NOUS COMME REALISATION
EN FAVEUR DE SES JEUNES ELEVES DU CES ?

IL s’agit :
-primordialement, d’engager une très forte négociation sur le retour des professeurs volontaires Américains dans le domaine de l’éducation (particulièrement au CES de Mayumba).
-de faire des dotations en matières didactique (livres, fournitures scolaires et outils informatique) au CES de Mayumba.
-négocier une aide d’amélioration des structures d’apprentissage (construction de deux lycées modernes dotées d’air des jeux, d’une citée des professeurs dans l’enceinte de l’établissement).
-la construction et l’ouverture de trois ou quatre internats (deux pour les élèves filles et deux pour les élèves garçons) pour favoriser le meilleur suivi des jeunes scolarisés.
-la création d’une diversité des pôles scientifiques (clubs dans toutes les matières) qui fonctionnerons pendant l’année académique et pendant les vacances.
-en fin, une aide financière permanent négociée auprès des organismes internationaux ( ONU, UNESCO…) pour soutenir les élèves issu des familles les plus pauvres et récompenser les élèves les plus brillants aux cours des vacances pour amener les enfants à s’y intéresser.

QUELLE AUTRES CHOSES PEUVENT PAR LE CANAL DE L’EDUCATION, FAVORISER LE DEVELOPPEMENT DE MAYUMBA ?

A travers l’éducation, on peut construire plusieurs établissements à Mayumba.
-on peut construire plusieurs bibliothèques et librairies dans la ville de Mayumba.
-on peut construire des centres d’apprentissage des métiers pour adultes et d’autres pour enfants.
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English
WHY HAVE WE CREATED THE CIRCLE OF YOUTH FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAYUMBA? Our motivation to create the CRJMD are linked to the desire to improve the school results of our brothers and sisters of Mayumba after unpleasantly having been shocked by the mediocrity of the results that between 1998 and 2004. The students of 6th, 5th, 4th 3rd have been without English, French and biology teachers. Even those who prepare for graduation and examination classes have been without sufficient teachers. Here are the objectives of our association:
-To revitalize the education of the young ones of the Banio.
-To take continuous reflections on the intellectual position of the young ones and on the theme: Mayumba, a population, a development.
-To favor unity and the mutual aid between youth.
-To promote the heritage more cultural, more artistic and more tourist of the Banio, then the installation of certain public spaces.
-Essentially, to engage a very strong negotiation on the return of the American voluntary professors in the domain of the education (particularly to the THESE of Mayumba). -To do allocations in educational matters (books, school supplies and computer tools) to the the students of Mayumba.
-To negotiate an improvement assistance of the apprenticeship structures (construction of two modern high schools endow with air of the games, of a city of the professors in the pregnant one establishment).
-The construction and the opening of three or four internats (two for the high girls and two for the high boys) to favor the better one follow by the young sent ones to school one.
-The creation of a variety of the scientific centers (clubs in all the matters) that will work during the academic year and during the vacation.
-In end, a financial permanent negotiated assistance with the international organizations (UN, UNESCO…) to support the students coming from the poorest families and reward the students more brilliant to the courses of the vacation for bring the children to be interested in it. Has breadths the education, one can construct several establishments to Mayumba.
-One can construct several libraries and bookstores in the city of Mayumba.
-One can construct apprenticeship centers of the trades for adults and of others for children.

The Rosa Parks English Club: Mayumba, Gabon 1997-98

2006-10-28T21:35:00.000-04:00

The Rosa Parks English Club: Mayumba, Gabon 1997-98

Les Filles Qui Sont Devenues Les Femmes:

2006-10-25T16:44:00.000-04:00

Photo sur le dessus : 1998 Prudence Laroute et Francoise Lea sur la plage en jours justes de Mayumba avant que je sois parti du village après ma année-longue gig d'enseignement. Tous les deux étaient dans le dos anglais de club en 1997-98 et tous les deux viendraient par la maison avec d'autres filles pour "la Mlle d'avec de temps de les de passant." Nous avons fait cuire, dansé, et j'ai tenu le sesssion avec eux au sujet de leur santé, empêchement d'HIV et de STD, et rapports. Photos récentes inférieures de Francoise et de Prudence dans Mayumba et vétiver respectivement. Francoise, est décrit ici pendant notre "fête" dans Mayumba, août 18, 2006, la nuit avant mon retour vers les USA. Malheureusement, Prudence ne l'a pas fait à Mayumba pour nous pour rebrancher. Nous avons fait ainsi seulement par téléphone de cellules stupéfiant vu qu'il y avait seulement UNE ligne téléphone de terre à la laquelle je pourrais accéder dans le village quand j'enseignais là il y a neuf ans.

The Girls who have become Women:

Photo on top: 1998Prudence Laroute and Francoise Lea on the beach in Mayumba just days before I left the village after my year-long teaching gig. Both were in the English Club back in 1997-98 and both would come by the house with other girls for "passer les temps avec Miss." We cooked, danced, and I held sesssion with them about their health, HIV and STD prevention, and relationships.

Bottom recent photos of both Francoise and Prudence in Mayumba and Gamba respectively. Francoise, is pictured here during our "fete" in Mayumba, August 18, 2006, the night before my return to the US. Unfortunately, Prudence didn't make it to Mayumba in time for us to reconnect. We did so only by cell phone- amazing considering there was only ONE land line phone that I could access in the village when I was teaching there nine years ago.

old school, new school-Gildas TCHIVOUNDA

2006-09-08T17:50:00.000-04:00

Gildas and me in front of the elementary school in Mayumba, 1997. Below, here we are 9 years later as colleagues in the primary school of Mayumba, 2006.

Above: Circa, 1997: Before leaving the states we had our orientation in Phoenix, Arizona, the IFESH headquarters. There we met a former IFESH teacher named Michelle. She described her year and talked of the highlights as well as the challenges of working in the remote village called Mayumba. We would learn that the village was situated between the ocean and a lagoon, making for beautiful breezes and tranquil beaches. We would also learn that a young student named Gildas TCHIVOUNDA would be expecting Michelle to honor her word and send him a camera by way of the next set of IFESH teachers assigned to Mayumba.

We took the camera and the advice and headed for Libreville, the capital of Gabon, for a month of training. There were 9 of us; one would teach alone while the rest of us would be paired and sent to various villages. I bonded with several of the volunteers, two sisters in particular. We each applied for the same post hoping we would be paired together.

Here is my journal entry the day I found out my placement:
October 6, 1997- "Got the news today. I'll be living in Mayumba with John. Mayumba is the most remote village, the most isolated and it has rats that run along and inside the roof of the house! I'm jealous that Ann will have Cheryl and Cheryl will have Ann as post-mates but, I don't want to think, feel, or express any negativity about our assignments. There's something for me to see and experience in Mayumba."

So I packed the camera for Gildas and went to Mayumba. Now, 9 years later Gildas is still the "camera man." He told me that in 1996 when he asked Michelle for the camera it was because he envisioned documenting life as a Gabonese student in the village. He patiently waited and consistently takes pictures in the hopes that people will support education in Gabon, Central Africa and Mayumba in particular.

With the gift of a new digital camera that I brought for him from John, Gildas is still tacking pictures and still waiting patiently for that support.

old school, new school- Eric MOUNZEO

2006-09-08T17:37:00.000-04:00

Circa 1997: Eric Mounzéo, the student in the middle and the one "cuttin' up" in class. He was affectionately called, "un bandit" meaning a class clown.This young cutie in 1997.

Now here he is, a French teacher, during his college semester break in the same village where he grew up.

2006-09-08T09:39:00.000-04:00

Inside the classroom was an energy and enthusiasm not often seen during the regular school year in many US schools. These young Gabonese students willingly attend the summer school program founded by former students of their village called Mayumba. They are taught English, Spanish, French, math, and computers. (or should I say computer, since they only have one that they use to demonstrate basic computer skills). Their teachers also make sure they are given life lessons as well, always conscious of matching the social and educational development with the economic development of their people, their village, their country.

Below: DieuNoel MBOUMBOU, treasurer of the association, teaching English in the context of saving our youth from the devastation of HIV/AIDS.

I will post the video clip of Judicael MBATCHI who gives a rousing speech to the youth about the importance of education, focus, discipline and avoiding unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

2006-09-07T17:46:00.000-04:00

Top photo: Members from the Cercle de Reflection des Jeunes de Mayumba (Circle of Reflection of the Youth from Mayumba). Former Mayumba youth who now return to their village to run a summer education program.

Bottom photo: Students who voluntarily attended the summer school program founded by the group called "Cercle de Reflection des Jeunes de Mayumba." The group organized the program with their own limited resources and sacrificed their own vacation from college to uplift their village.

The guys pictured above are former students of the elementary school of Mayumba. I had the privilege of teaching them English while learning French and their native languages of Villi, Lumbu, and Bapunu. It was 1997-98, during that time we discussed politics, HIV/AIDS, sexuality, life in America, race relations, and of course, the black American-African connection.
I wanted to be more than their English teacher. I wanted us to share and touch lives in ways we never expected or imagined. I played basketball with the boys and danced with the girls. We traveled to the neighboring village of Tchibanga for a talent show and youth program. We comforted each other through bouts of malaria and shared meals when there was no electricity, or gas for cooking. We fetched water from the well and collected the rain off rooftops; we searched for bread and crossed the lagoon when there was none. We shared laughter with jokes told in broken English and shaky French- all the while hoping to reunite someday.