Charity Wraps Up Successful Listening Tour in Yap

Habele Directors Meet with Habele Scholarship Winners and Families.jpg

Monday, Novermber 12, 2012Habele Directors Meet With Habele Scholarship Winners and Families

Contact: Habele

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"Charity Wraps Up Successful Listening Tour in Yap"

Habele Directors and supporters just completed their 2012 “Listening  Tour” in Yap State, Micronesia. Meetings were held with state government  officials, traditional chiefs, public and private school educators, as  well as parents and community members in the villages.

Shortly before the trip, Yap State Legislators passed a resolution  officially praising Habele’s six years of service to the students of  Yap. The Speaker and Governor both communicated their belief that  targeting support for students in intermediate and high school grades  remains the best use of the charity's limited resources.

Habele Directors Meet with Saint Mary's School Principal Timothy Moon.jpg

Habele Directors Meet with Saint Mary's School Principal Timothy MoonThe Council of Tamol and other traditional leaders encouraged Habele to  expand its mission to serve all economically disadvantaged students,  rather than only those from outer and distant lagoon islands.

Principals and teachers told Habele Directors that after school programs  such as Waa’gey (traditional canoe carving and weaving) and the Vex  Robotics clubs have been genuine “game changers” for participating  students. They asked for support to expand these extracurricular efforts  during the Director's site visit to schools on Yap and in the Outer  Islands.

The Women’s’ associations and the Waa’gey traditional skills programs  also thanked Habele for its donations of materials and funds. They both  asked for Habele’s support in raising awareness of their work outside of  Micronesia. Finally, public and private school educators asked Habele  to repeat the statewide “Dictionary For Every Eighth Grader” donation on  a yearly basis.

Regina Raigetal, a Habele Director, explained, "The feedback was  constructive; the encouragement thrilling. Parents and educators  communicated a genuine sense of gratitude. They want Habele to grow and  gave us specific, actionable program ideas."

Habele Directors Meet with Yap Leg Speaker Henry Falan.jpg

"The social and economic challenges faced by Yap -and all of Habele Directors Meet with Yap Leg Speaker Henry FalanMicronesia-  represent an opportunity for Habele," said Neil Mellen, another Habele  Board Director. "Our targeted programs for students are academically  effective and economically efficient. Habele’s slow-and-steady  grassroots growth strategy is being validated by praise and  encouragement among official leaders and, more importantly, 'back in the  villages.'" "As the only US-based nonprofit solely serving students in  Micronesia, Habele’s position remains unique and our ability to affect  positive change enormous," added Raigetal.