With over 40% illiteracy rates and exposure to formal education limited to roughly one-third of school age children, providing the necessary tools to make school accessible and viable is critical to the future of Djibouti, a front-line state in the war on global terrorism.  

Spirit of America is pleased to support LCDR Lya Theodoratos' outreach to children in Djibouti. Thanks to the contributions to SoA's Unrestricted Fund, 100 school kits have already been distributed and 200 more are on the way to LCDR Theodoratos and those serving with her.

The LCDR provided this update on the distribution of the initial school kits:

Visit to Douda Elementary School, Djibouti, Africa  

On November 23, 2008, Navy military personnel from Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Africa visited the Douda Elementary School which is a small town on the outskirts of Djibouti City, approximately 30 km from the Somalia border.
We distributed school supplies that were donated by Spirit of America.

This elementary school has approximately 250 students.

LCDR Lya Theodoratos is the point of contact for Spirit of America and is very supportive of providing support to the local community. LCDR Theodoratos is the Facilities Engineer and Acquisition Division Director in the Public Works Department of Camp Lemonier, the Navy’s only expeditionary base. Accompanying her on this humanitarian outreach mission were LT Antoine Thornton, Camp Security Officer, LTjg Stephanie Lastinger, Camp Financial Officer, and MAC Luis Arboleda, Master at Arms Chief.

The children were very excited and waited in anticipation to get the much needed school supplies. The children started to congregate around us as we began to stage and open the boxes, but their teachers were quick to order them back to their classrooms. The children were then brought out by class and received the supplies in an orderly fashion.

This visit was made possible by Mr. Mohammed Waberi who works for LCDR Theodoratos as a translator. His support was crucial in arranging this visit and to communicate with the school director and teachers during out visit.

LCDR Lya Theodoratos and friends at school drop 
LCDR Lya Theordoratos hands out school kits in Djibouti

 

All smiles in Djibouti after school kit distribution