CoronaVirus Response at Hilltop Schools

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Community,  

During this time of global crisis, we are sending love and resilience to you and our friends around the world. The grief and uncertainty of this global pandemic, affecting a total of 197 countries, can cloud our vision, and make the road ahead unclear.  However, as Liberians, we know that overcoming threats like this requires laser focus on the issues at hand, as well as the faith that we will only overcome through a community effort. We must adapt and adjust in the moment, and hold the hope of brighter days ahead clear in our vision. 

Reflecting on Ebola times, we know that the key to ending this is trust and teamwork. We are all responsible for the health and well being of each other, and we must coordinate, communicate, and show abounding kindness during these unprecedented times.

At Hilltop Schools, we have shifted into response mode, closing our schools--as per the mandate by the Government--and mobilizing our education, health and safety teams to design and enact contingency plans.

For our Academy students, we are delivering sanitation supplies, family health education, and critical feeding support to our students. We’ve mobilized with our West Point Community Partners to coordinate services and outreach regarding the CoronaVirus. The Safety team is coordinating outreach, and will continue to provide critical social work support for serious cases because we recognize that isolation at home can exacerbate ongoing family and emotional issues. Our Education Team has developed materials to make remote learning possible with weekly education packets across all 19 schools. 

Across our 18 LEAP Schools, we are working with the Ministry of Education’s Health Division and our Community Health Assistants to provide awareness and education about the CoronaVirus, hand washing stations and supplies in Bomi, Gbarpolu and Montserrado Counties. Our health team is organizing a Training of Trainers for teachers, Community Health Assistants and Parent Teacher Association groups for COVID - including information dissemination sessions and prevention measures. We will continue to provide treatment and medication for minor health conditions for our students. Cases we cannot handle will be referred to nearby facilities. 

Prior to this outbreak, our student health clubs training centered on hand washing, disease prevention and healthy practices. Excitingly, students have been practicing lessons learned including proper hand washing - which is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of diseases. Student leaders will further be empowered with COVID-specific information to continue educating their peers and communities on how to stay safe and healthy. 

During these trying times, our holistic approach has allowed us to shift our focus to public health, supporting both the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, two counties, and 19 individual communities in education and prevention to stem the spread of the coronavirus. 

As we weather this storm in Liberia, and around the world, we keep faith that after this crisis, we can continue to build the future and world we want to exist. That our children will return to school, that our health systems will be strengthened, and that we as a global community will better understand that our education, health, and well-being are all connected. 

Please commit to supporting Hilltop Schools in this immediate work to prevent the spread of CoronaVirus and in our ongoing mission to rebuild our education system stronger and better than before. All donations this month, will go to directly to contingency efforts in response to CoronaVirus for our students and communities. Please donate here.

Together we will overcome,

Margretta Smith-General

Executive Director