213 is No Small Thing!

Class of 2024

As we see senior celebrations start to take shape here in the U.S., Hope International's Class of 2024 is sharing in the excitement and preparing for their upcoming graduation.

Seniors will soon begin country-wide mandated testing given under the direction of the West African Examination Council. It is required that graduating students pass the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to be eligible to receive their high school diploma. As with years past, we know the seniors will be ready.

Meet Mary Kollie

Mary is one of the 213 seniors in Hope's Class of 2024. She likes the teaching system at Hope International and the way they take care of their students. Mary also enjoys the opportunities available through the on-site vocational programs. She dreams of one day becoming an accountant.

As we honor and celebrate the excited soon-to-be graduates, we also honor you for making it all possible!

Tina Takes Us to Liberia

We are honored to have Chef and Owner of Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen Tina Fahnbulleh preparing her authentic Liberian cuisine again at our Sweet 16 Years of Hope Celebration and Fundraiser on March 30th.

 
 

Tina's love for cooking began by watching her grandmother cook for her family. By the time she was 4, Tina's grandmother trusted her to make rice, which is the highest honor in a West African home. Born in Liberia and raised in Ghana, Tina migrated to the United States with her family in 2001. Her appreciation for fresh and sustainable foods comes from memories of her childhood garden, and of visiting Ghana's boisterous Makola Market every weekend.

Upon moving to Seattle, Tina noticed something missing. There were no West African restaurants. Determined to change that, she started Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen as a way to bridge the gap, and to familiarize Seattleites with West African foods. What began as a six-year journey of pop-ups and events, culminated in Tina opening the doors to her restaurant located at 1011 Boren Avenue in Seattle at the end of 2023.

We encourage you to enjoy a night sampling Tina's West African inspired dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients and spices shipped from home, in a space that was created to honor her grandmother.

Our deep gratitude to Tina for sharing her culinary talents, time and sponsorship at our Sweet 16 event on March 30th. We hope you are able to join us! 

On Account(ing) of Hope...Introducing Siatta

Siatta and Zumana

As Zumana graduates and transitions into his new accounting position, through the generosity of Dennis Webb of Webb Accountancy, another student has the opportunity to begin university.

Dennis and his wife Ronda let us know tht they would like to offer a scholarship to a female student interested in entering the accounting field.

Word was put out and Hope International alumni students applied. Through the application and interview process, the staff and alumni students selected Siatta Kanneh, who graduated from Hope International in 2017 and will begin university this month. While attending Hope International she lived with her aunt and 10 other family members. Her father had passed away and her mother is a seller that lives away. Siatta works to support the entire family and she has been doing all she can to ease the family's struggles.

 
 

"I am so excited for getting this scholarship because it has been my wish to have such an opportunity to further my education. This opportunity is timely and I am really excited that I will be able to go back to school. It is going to change my life and will make me an important person in the future because I know after my graduation I will be able to work and earn money.

Studying accounting has been my dream...I am strongly motivated by the support of The Hope Project. It is a wonderful opportunity for me. Whenever I face challenges during my studies, the generosity of my sponsor will be a course of inspiration for me to keep on my dream of being an accountant.

I want to say a big thank you to my sponsor, the teachers of Hope International and The Hope Project. I will make you all proud."

We are all standing behind you Siatta as you chase your dreams.