Encouragement is one of the greatest gifts that we can give or receive in our lives. The story of Barnabas in the Bible is a great example of this. Barnabas, whose original name was Joseph, was a Jewish man who converted to Christianity. He was renamed Barnabas by the Apostles, which means “son of encouragement”, because he exhibited a character of encouragement and utilized God’s gifts to him to benefit others.

The Bar-Nabas Paired Mentorship Program (Bar-Nabas Paired) is a collaboration between the Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) and UFOUND Solutions Group (UFOUND) and seeks to bring together people who want to us their God-given gifts to encourage others who are less fortunate. Bar-Nabas Paired was started because we all need encouragement and people in our lives that believe in us and want to see the best in us come alive. Bar-Nabas Paired wants to bring together people that need encouragement and those that can give encouragement. And the story of Barnabas teaches us what a lifestyle of encouragement can accomplish.

Our Program is based on three general principles:

1. Living to Give – We believe that one cannot have an encouraging life without having a generous heart. To encourage is to give and generosity is the foundation of encouragement.

2. Being a Champion to Others – We believe that people want and need to know that they have a “Barnabas” out there looking out for and believing in them – and that Barnabas may just be you.

3. Giving Someone an Opportunity – We believe that everyone deserves a chance at an opportunity to better their lives, even if they have faltered in the past. We see the hidden treasures in spite of past failure and want to give another opportunity to someone to realize their true worth.

There have been many people in our lives, for whom we are very grateful, who have provided a support system, believed in us, and encouraged us. We see this as an opportunity to pay it forward and continue the spirit of encouragement.

Bar-Nabas Paired provides encouragement through two main avenues:

• Paired Relationships – Mentors commit to providing emotional support to their selected mentee through one-on-one relationships. The goal is to have personal continuous engagement and support with the mentees and help them transition from one stage of their personal development to the other with guided steps and real-life experiences through one on one mentoring and coaching. Each mentee will be paired with a mentor who will guide her through her personal and academic journey. Mentors will:
• Offer encouragement, listen and inspire
• Share knowledge and life experiences
• Coach, provide guidance and advice
• Help student explore different career choices and advise on professional development
• Help to develop leadership skills
• Scholarships – Mentors commit to providing financial assistance for their selected mentees through college. This includes full tuition and fees, school supplies, and uniforms. Annual financial commitment ranges between $1,500 to $5,000 United States Dollars per mentee, depending on the mentee’s school.

Target Mentors: Bar-Nabas Paired targets individuals who are financially capable and willing to commit to supporting mentees throughout their personal and academic journey. We appreciate the enormity of this commitment and have developed several ways in which you can support. For those who are able to commit financially, but are unable to commit to personal mentorship, you may select another individual who can aptly represent you in this role. For those who are unable to commit long-term, there is still an opportunity to encourage through donations to Bar-Nabas Paired for extracurricular activities for mentees, such as seminars, field trips, etc., and stipends for Program Administration.

Target Mentees: Bar-Nabas Paired targets students from grades 1 through 12 who are high academic achievers from low income households, orphans, victims of sexual abuse, or students wanting to transitioning form the More Than Me Academy.

Recruitment:

Mentors: Interested individuals will be asked to complete an online form that will collect all the basic information about the prospective mentor. Mentors will be provided with information regarding interaction with Mentees. Mentors will have the opportunity to review the profile of the Mentees and select the mentee of their choice. All relevant information related to the mentee’s personal and financial description will be included in the profile. Upon selection and pairing, Mentors will have one month to make payments to the school. Once payment has been confirmed, he/she will be introduced to the mentee and begin what we hope will be a fruitful and lasting relationship. Mentors living outside of Liberia, who are unable to make direct payment to the school, may select Barnabas Paired as their payment agent. Receipts for all payments will be provided.

Mentees: The recruitment process will last for one month with, at which time ads will run for a two-week period with a target of 500 applications to be received. During the second two weeks of the recruitment process, applicants will be vetted, shortlisted and called in to sit a short interview with a body of three independent persons. Applicants will be required to submit all relevant proof of status for the category for which they are applying before their application can be considered complete. Finalists will then be notified that they have been accepted into the program and their profiles will be put on the KEEP website. Parental/Guardian authorization will be required for all mentees under the age of 18.

About KEEP:

The Kids Educational Engagemen Project (KEEP) is a local non-profit organization that focuses on promoting and supporting the education of children in schools in Liberia through direct engagement and

support to parents, schools and local leaders and encouraging community involvement in the education of the children. The organization works closely with the various stakeholders in seeking better ways to

improve enrollment and retention of children in school and learning outcomes for underprivileged children in low income families and communities.

To date, KEEP has established 9 reading Rooms in its 4 counties of operation.

Contact Info:

Website: www.keeplib.org

Blog: www.keepliberia.com

Contact numbers: 0886510731 / 0777510731

Email: info@keeplib.org or brenda.moore@keeplib.org

Point of Contact: Brenda Brewer Moore- Founder & Executive Director

About UFOUND:

UFOUND Solutions Group is a 100% Liberian female owned and operated consultancy firm located in Monrovia, Liberia.  We specialize in Organizational Development with our main focus in Organizational Effectiveness, Human Capital Management, Program Management, and Government Affairs and have extensive experience in navigating both the corporate and government arenas. We help businesses deal with a variety of issues affecting its organization and develop and successfully implement effective organizational development programs that help increase operational efficiencies.

UFOUND believes in “paying it forward” and supports several charitable organizations working in the area of education. This is UFOUND’s first collaboration with a non-profit organization.

Contact Info:

Website: www.ufoundsolutionsgroup.com

Contact numbers: +231 777841747

Email: wadeipowell@ufoundsolutionsgroup.com

Point of Contact: Wadei Powell, President/Principle Consultant