Monrovia – A United Kingdom-based Liberian, Mrs. Lena Marshall along with her Lena Marshall Foundation (LMF) in partnership with the Van Vicker School of Performing Arts Accelerated Learning Program in Monrovia, Sunday, May 10, donated and food and non-food items to students of the school.
The kids are now sitting home with their parents during this lockdown of the whole country as the government fights the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 or Covid-19.
Before the presentation of the items to the students, Ms. Charlesetta N. Williams, the caretaker of the school in Monrovia, spoke of how she had to reach out to Ms. Marshall asking for help to find food and non-food items for the 60 kids in the school.
Ms. Williams further said that though the kind gesture was a partnership between the LMF and Mr. Vicker’s school, but it was the LMF that had shouldered the total cost of the donation that was being given to the students. She thanked both Lena and Van Vicker for their farsightedness in trying to help the kids and their parents.
“Lena first did a newsletter and a video. Everybody responded to her. She sent what she received for us to buy these things for you. We want to say thanks to Lena Marshall Foundation. She is the same lady who gave us the Christmas and fed us for the month,” Ms. Williams told the kids how Ms. Marshall had raised the funding for the donation.
The kids, who themselves expressed their gratefulness to Lena, were brought in by their parents. At least two of the parents — Ms. Nancy Doe and Ms. Miatta Gray of West Point — a very impoverished, slum community in Monrovia, told this newspaper how grateful they are to the LMF for the gesture to them and their children.
Speaking to his newspaper, Ms. Marshall stated, “On behalf of my foundation, Lena Marshall Foundation and Van Vicker, we appreciate all the support being showered upon us at this difficult time of Covid-19. We are humbled by your outpouring of love through your donations. This would not have been possible without your kind generosity. Our intention is to provide food and sanitary items for the students while they are at home. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this worthy cause which means so much to us, the children, and their families.”
In his message via video link, Mr. Joseph van Vicker, in whose honor the school is named, spoke how hope can be found in these ‘difficult times.’ “I think hope comes from both what we can do and what we are. It’s against that backdrop that the Van Vicker School of Performing Arts in Monrovia, Liberia is partnering with Lena Marshall Foundation to support and sponsor students during this pandemic.”
Mr. van Vicker, who is a Liberian-born Ghana-based movie maker, urged those who may want to help to visit the LMF’s website.
“On behalf of Lena and myself, I want to thank all of those who did contribute and who have contributed: support us during this time to help us support these children. If you help someone and I help someone and somebody helps me that is the way we will survive. Shared benevolence is crucial for our win against Covid-19,” he stated. The items given to the students included rice, toothpastes, toothbrushes, shavers, bottles of Argo oil, Maggie cubes and sanitary pads.