July recap: STEAM education, fighting mosquito-borne illness, & counter-narco operations
Dear supporters,
We hope you are enjoying your summer so far! July has been a busy month for Spirit of America, as our project managers have been all over the globe providing high-impact support for US service members and their local partners.
Here are some highlights of the latest projects we’ve begun to implement this month.
In Tajikistan, we’re supplying computer equipment and funds to aid a nationwide Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) workshop and fair, organized by the US Embassy. Although students are often able to study the fundamentals of science and technology, Tajikistan’s mountainous terrain isolates many communities and leaves little opportunity to apply these skills hands on.
This STEAM fair provides eager students the chance to explore greater educational opportunities, while continuing to strengthen US relationships with partners in Tajikistan and across Central Asia. Click here to see how you can help make this fair an even greater success, and click here to check out this short video of SoA’s Zack Bazzi at the American Space in Dushanbe.
Although Somalia is currently an area of armed conflict that struggles with competing clans and violent extremist organizations such as al Shabaab, one of its greatest challenges is the spread of mosquito-borne illness, such as dengue fever and malaria.
Contracting one of these illnesses is often deadly for the displaced people of Somalia, which is why a US Special Operations team operating in the area identified a critical need for mosquito nets.
These nets not only help preserve life in this harsh environment, but also build positive relationships between our forces and the local people. For only $4, you can purchase one lifesaving mosquito net for a Somali in need, while a $12 donation ensures an entire family is protected from mosquito-borne illness.
Lastly, we recently launched our latest project in Guatemala, where poppy cultivation leads to heroin production and youth drop out of school as they are recruited as labor into these illicit activities.
Alongside US Army troops, SoA is on the ground empowering students by supporting local schools with much needed supplies. As school attendance increases, trust in the local government rises and the cultivation of drug-producing poppy plummets. Click here to see how you can partner with US troops to see this project through.
You can also text TROOPS to 20222 to donate $10 to our Rapid Response Fund, to be used where it is needed most.
For more on our efforts to assist US troops across the world, be sure to check out our Facebook, Twitter, Instagr
Tajik students apply knowledge during a STEAM workshop organized by the US Embassy in Dushanbe.
A child stands amid the freshly made graves of 70 children many of whom died of malnutrition. These rudimentary graves serve as a stark reminder of how fragile life is in Somalia.
Guatemalan children, ready to receive new school supplies
Spirit of America is the only 501(c)(3) non-profit working alongside US servicemembers and diplomats to improve their safety and success. In 2018, Congress recognized us as a partner in “supporting the missions of deployed United States personnel around the world.”
