PRESIDENT’S 2016 LAUNCHING SPEECH
November 5th, 2016
Distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen, good morning to you.
It gives me great pleasure to extend to you a very warm welcome, on behalf of the FSSGIANS TEXAS Organization, and to say how grateful we are for accepting our invitation by joining us in celebrating this very special occasion, the launching of the organization and fundraising event.
I would like to start by giving you a brief history of our school, then the organization.
Our school, The Freetown Secondary School For Girls, is an all-girls high school in Freetown, Sierra Leone, which was founded in January 1926. We recently celebrated 90 years of existence. It is the only high school in Freetown that offers kindergarten education through high school, and we are very proud of that.
The school has always operated as one shift since it was founded. But because of the Rebel War, they were forced to start a second shift to accommodate students from other provinces whose families had fled the war and came to Freetown. Many families were displaced, so the school stepped up and enrolled several of the displaced students.
That initiative shows that the school officials continued to operate the school by upholding the vision of the founding members, which was to educate girls.
During the 90 years of existence, the school has undergone maintenance, and new divisions added. However, there’s a lot more to be done. That is why the Old Girls Association was founded, and we are a part of that group.
Presently, we have a total of seven old girls association branches where the majority of the members reside outside of Sierra Leone. To name a few: DC/VA/MD metro, NY/NJ, Atlanta, etc.
With that said, I’d like to recognize the interim President of the DC/VA/MD branch Adelaide Wilson and a member Joanne Dixon both here with us this morning (Ladies, would you please stand). They have been very instrumental in the setting up of our branch. We are glad to have you both join us.
Later on, Adelaide will be sharing with you how her branch has supported the school to complete some much-needed projects through donations they’ve received.
Our branch is the newest, the baby of the group.
On June 25th, 2016, a group of old girls came together and formed the Texas branch. Here we are today hosting the launching of our branch. (by the way, when I say old girls, I don’t mean old folks, we are all very young capable ladies, right, ladies)?
With that said, we give God all the glory for using us in forming this noble organization and for allowing you to be a partner and friend of the organization. May he continue to richly bless each and every one of us as we move forward in this venture.
OUR MISSION:
To promote and support social aspects of learning, provide quality and affordable education, and look after the cultural welfare of current pupils and alumni of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls (FSSG) in the United States and Sierra Leone.
We will do so by engaging in regular fundraising efforts to offer financial and emotional support.
We will support the development and maintenance of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls and other organizations or individuals within the Sierra Leone community and the United States.
OUR GOALS:
To sponsor a child/children by providing scholarships to less fortunate girls.
Tuition, books, uniforms, and transportation to and from school per child yearly is $200.
Many of the students commute from far away from towns and villages.
It will also be a good idea to get some of these girls housed at the boarding home, where they will avoid the hassle of commuting every day.
The boarding home fees, inclusive of everything else, will be $350 per child yearly.
As our partners, you are welcome to adopt and sponsor a scholarship fund, and we welcome your input regarding the criteria for qualification to receive a scholarship.
Secondly, sponsoring of ongoing development and maintenance of the school by providing financial support for building projects and maintaining existing areas.
To name a few, some of the current needs are:
- Reinstallation of the entire plumbing system, including replacement of the WC pipes.
Cost Approx. $2200.00 - 2 Reinstallation of the electrical system
Cost Approx. $3500.00 - 3 Repairs to the roof of the generator house, material, and labor
Cost Approx. $1200.00
These are just a few projects that have to be undertaken and completed, of course, with your generous support.
As an organization, it’s our goal to work tirelessly to bless those who are less fortunate as mandated by God in Luke 12:48 – From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.
The more we are blessed, he expects us to help others.
Would you agree that based on the blessings in your life, you probably have a greater responsibility than others in the world?
Think about it.
If you’re living in the United States, I’m sure you’d agree because it’s quite obvious we’ve been blessed with more abundance than many people around the world.
Just think of your lifestyle in this country, WHAT A BLESSING IT IS.
As a branch, we have adopted the bible verse Philippians: 2:4 – I’ll give you a chance to pull this verse up on your phones.
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others.”
This verse is key to what we are trying to accomplish in this organization. However, we cannot do it without your support. Your support, combined with the dedication and support of the members, will enable the organization to achieve its goals. Therefore, we are pleading with you to obey the Lord’s mandate and give to the organization.
We are a 501© tax-exempt organization, which makes your donations tax-deductible. We invite you to partner with us as a lifetime patron – the necessary form is on your tables. Also, if you would rather use a credit card to make your donation on our website, Fssgtexas.org is up and running.
Thank you for all you do to help others. May the Lord richly bless you.