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$80,000 in aid and scholarship

Dear Friends, 

It’s hard to believe that the school year is over, our summer camp is in full swing and the new school year starts August 7th.  I would like to take this time to share with you a remarkable milestone for the Fugees. This fall our four graduating seniors will head to college, each of them the first in their families to do so. Even more impressive, these first generation college students received a combined $80,000 in aid and scholarship for the upcoming year. Recently, the entire Fugees Family gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of their Senior teammates, and to wish them well as they embark on their college careers. The graduates surprised us all with speeches; their words are still echoing in my ears as a reminder of why we do what we do. The boys all shared what it meant for them to have graduated high school and go on to college, something many of us take for granted.  They all talked about how no one believed they could do it.  But with the support of the Fugees they were able to achieve whatever they set their minds to. 

One Fugee shared a copy of his speech; I am humbled to share it with all of you. 

It would take more than a library to describe the deep appreciation and the sincerest gratitude I have for the Fugees. From the moment I joined the Fugees, it was clear that I would be pushed beyond my limits and that quitting wouldn’t be tolerated.  The five years that I have spent kicking, sweating, running, walking, eating and at times giving the staff a hard time have been the greatest moments of my life, and as I look towards my future I can’t help but notice what a huge impact the team has had on me.  Without the help of the Fugees Family, I would not have the confidence to start a conversation with anybody.  I wouldn’t be able to trust anyone, and I wouldn’t even know how and where to go to college.  The Fugees staff all gave so much time and energy to make sure I achieve everything that is possible. How you managed to bring a team of war-torn kids and get them to play as a family will be a question that I will ponder upon time and time again.  Maybe one day I will know the answer. I will always keep this team at heart.  It is a family like no other.  I remember when Coach told me to keep my head up every time and I will always remember that wherever I go in life.  Thank you Fugees for making an impact in my life.   

Samuel from Sudan (South Georgia College), Raphael from Congo (Georgia Perimeter College, starting Spring 2012), Jonas from Burundi (Georgia Perimeter College),  Gabriel from Cuba (Barry University) Yusuf from Afghanistan (Valparaiso University)

Please continue to make college a reality for all the Fugees by making a donation today. Can you spare $12 a month? This covers the cost of after-school tutoring for one student per week. Can you spare more? Even better. 4,000 people are receiving this email right now. If each of you take a moment to click here

and make a recurring monthly donation of any amount…well, let’s just say that next year’s graduation party will be even better. 

Thank you again for making our work possible.

Coach Luma  

P.S. Don’t forget to check that monthly donation box! 

Essay by Babba

Babba

                                                                                                            February 24, 2011

                                                                                                            Comparison Contrast Essay

            Let’s compare and contrast two best friends, Babba and Mahmoud, boys from different parts of the world, but ones who share the same world today.

Mahmoud, a tall skinny kid with black hair, who is from Iraq has two sisters, two brothers and lives in Clarkston Oaks. On the other side of Clarkston Oaks gate is Indian Valley Apartments where Babba lives.

 Babba a tall and average kid with curly black hair who was born in Sudan but, raised in Ethiopia, has two brother and two sister and one uncle.

Babba and Mahmoud are Fugees. They go to the same school, and they are also in the same class. Babba is a day dreamer and a lazy worker while Mahmoud on the other hand is a serious person. He works hard and stays focused. One thing Babba likes to do is read Greek myth stories because he thinks their cool, but Mahmoud likes to read books about soccer.

 Babba and Mahmoud are great soccer players. Babba plays for U-15 and Mahmoud plays for U-13. Babba plays forward and his job is to score a goal, but Mahmoud plays defense and his job is to clear the ball.

 Babba likes to watch movies about soccer, fighting, adventures, murder and scary movies, but Mahmoud likes to watch movies about soccer. Mahmoud likes to play video games and chat on face book unlike Mahmoud Babba does not like to use computer a lot or chat with friends on face book, but he likes to play games on the computer and watch cartoon videos.                                                                                  

Babba and Mahmoud enjoy being friends. They are from different parts of the world, but they’re interested in sharing their cultures. They also want to share their friendship with everyone around the world.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

English Essay by Muang Sa

It was my fifth month of being in this country, and I knew a little English on that bus that took me to the gym to play basketball. During that period of my life, I acted differently than I act now, after two and a half years of being here. Sometimes, I still act a little like how I did when I was new to the country.

When I got off the bus, I walked into a large gym and felt lost. I looked to the right and saw a bald headed man. He was the manager of the whole gym. I walked slowly straight at him and said nothing.

“Hi, how can I help you?” he asked. I just looked at him with no words coming out of my mouth. I had no clue what was he talking about with no hands movement to help me out. “Okay, what is your name sir?” he asked me this time.

“M-a-u-n-g S-a,” I answered as I spelled it for him. Then he started to look for a folder with my name on it.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” I told him.

“Good, but how old are you?” he said slowly.

“Me is eleven,” I answered. We kept talking until the half time of the basketball game. Finally I was in the game, but I was nervous the whole time.

 Two and a half years later, I was in an emergency room with a kid and an adult. I helped them both translate to the doctor because I now knew a lot of English. I told the doctor the problems, and she gave me a prescription for the medicine. Then I went to the pharmacy and got all the medicines.

Even though I have been in the country for two and a half years, I can still act the same as when I was new in this country. I still get lost sometimes although I can read the symbols to help me exit something. I also go to school just as I did when I was new, but did not know English yet. But now, the more I go to school, the more I learn something new. I strongly dislike to be absent unless I am very sick, which is the same as when I were new to this country and went to school. I can still be scared at any point just as when I was new.

 Today, I am getting better at English, but I can still get a lot better at anytime. Sometime I might still get confuse, but I know will learn it after a day or a week. The more I go to school, the more I learn.

From Ogbai and Santino

We were at Coach’s house and I was joking with Coach that Santa wasn’t real.  And she kept telling me Santa was.  I said that I put milk and cookies out and Santa never came. 

“What did you ask for?” she said. 

“A soccer ball.” 

“Have you ever been Santa?” she asked. 

I was confused.  I am not Santa.  “Have you ever given?”

“I don’t have money to give.”

“You need money to give?” And she looked at me and waited for an answer.  I was quiet and I knew something was going to happen, a learning experiment. 

On Christmas Eve at 9am, I got a call to tell me to get out of bed and get ready.  It was early, I was on vacation, and I didn’t know why.  When the bus came, there were six other Fugees on the bus. 

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going shopping,” they said. 

I got excited, thinking we were all going to the mall.  But Coach drove us to the Farmers Market.  I thought maybe we were getting food for our big Christmas party, but then she had 5 of us get carts. I know we eat a lot but that’s too many carts.  Coach then explained we were buying food for families.  We got rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, oranges, bananas and then Solomon told Coach that the families would also like sugar cane.  “What are you waiting for? Go get it!” Coach said. Solomon came back with 30 sticks of sugar cane. He’s right, I love sugar cane and so does everyone else.

We headed back to the school and more Fugees were there waiting. Some thought we were going to play a soccer game, some thought they were getting their own gifts, but not today.

Coach told everyone that today they got to be Santa, that each person gets to pick 2 gifts to give to two people in their lives. Moms, dads, uncles, brothers or sisters.  In the room there were over a hundred shirts and pajamas. All new, all in their packaging.  Coach reminded us that today was not about us, that we have a lot and we need to show appreciation.  So we wrapped gifts for a few hours. First I thought it was a bad idea, but then I wrapped a gift for my mom and one for my uncle.  And then I thought of other people that would like a gift, so I asked coach if I could wrap more.  “It’s Christmas, of course you can.”  After we were done we started putting food boxes together to give out.  And then we put them back in the school.  I thought we were done for the day.  But then Coach said, “Put two big tables on the bus, and these bags of toys, and I’ll meet you at Indian Valley Apartments.” 

So we went there and then Coach came and she had 1500 hot wings and drinks. I thought it was for us, but it wasn’t. It was for the people living in the apartments. I thought to myself, “Why is she doing this?”

The kids from my neighborhood started coming up and laughing.  They were very excited.  From the look on their eyes I felt as if I changed a family’s life just by giving.  The kids were laughing and telling their parents about the gifts and eating and drinking and they told me thank you.  It made me feel good.  The smiles on their faces made me realize that Christmas is about giving and being happy, it’s not just about getting. That was our learning experiment.

This Christmas we gave back to our community, to our neighbors and families, for all the hard work and support they have given us.  So I recommend or ask you to do as my team and I have done and see what you feel after it.  I learned that you do not have to be rich just to give all you need is hope, and a heart. But coach was wrong.  It was about me.  It was about me learning and feeling hope.

 p.s. We got a soccer ball and a new coat for Christmas.

How Can We Help?

How Can We Help?

… has been a common question I have been getting lately.  While there are several ways that people can help, I’d like to share with you how Echo A. helps us out. 

Echo from Indiana has been donating $10/month for the past 3 years.  When I go to pick up the mail from the post office, I recognize the envelope that Echo’s $10 comes in.  She receives the same emails and updates that everyone else does. Every now and then, she’ll send an email back saying, “Keep up the good work.”  Or “I love the Fugees!” She doesn’t expect anything in return for her $10. While $10/month doesn’t seem like a lot, she makes my work easier. 

My time is split between fundraising and working directly with the kids.  I can easily say that the highlight of my day is being on the field every day at 4:30pm, but I know that fundraising is an important and necessary part of my work.  In the past 4 years we have gone from one soccer team to two then three then four.  We have after-school tutoring for all our kids with over 60 weekly volunteers, a six-week summer academic camp, a spring break retreat and a private middle school for 22 boys.  And the reality is that we couldn’t do this without people like Echo.  I know that every month I can count on her $10. 

We have big plans for the Fugees! Last December we purchased 19 acres of land in Clarkston so that we can build the first school dedicated to refugee education in the country.  A school for the kids who were robbed of their childhood so that they won’t be robbed of their education.

And how are we going to do that? With your support.  We need your $10/month.  It’s the cost of three lattes, a movie ticket, 2 meals at McDonalds or 20 Honeybuns!

The $10 assures us that we are going to receive a certain amount every month… that we know we have all these supporters who are part of our team and believe in our kids and want to give them the opportunities that they deserve.

So if you have ever thought about supporting us or helping us, now is the time.  Don’t delete this email, don’t wait till I send 10 more (because I will), but do it today, and after you do it, send it to a friend and ask them to join Team Fugees.   

Sincerely, 

Coach Luma

Join Team Fugee, our monthly giving club, with a $10 donation by clicking here. Donating through this link means your are committing to giving to us monthly.

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