Marieke Klosters' story about her trip to Liberia for Mineke Foundation in February - March 2012.

1. Mineke Foundation’s roots
Hello, I am Marieke Klosters and I joined the Mineke Foundation on a very special working trip* to Liberia at the
beginning of March 2012. The account of this trip not only tells an interesting family story, but is also a persuasive
argument for supporting the activities of the founder of the Mineke Foundation: my cousin Tonia. Come with us on
this trip to Dabwe Town, and you might want to make your contribution to this great initiative…
Dabwe Wiah and daughter Tonia (who has been living & working in the Netherlands since 1993)
Our stay in Monrovia and daily visits to Dabwe Town made a big impression. I had always thought that I had quite a good
grasp of the situation thanks to the family stories, newsletters, www.minekefoundation.org and the personal
conversations I had with my cousin Tonia. However, when I saw and experienced everything, it all fell into place!

2. We got to Mineke Foundation’s roots. I now fully understand what my Liberian uncle Dabwe Wiah and my Dutch aunt
Mineke once envisaged. I also see the passion of my admirable niece for continuing her parents’ life work: the
foundation and development of a community and a school.
The Mineke Foundation really can make a difference to the development of Dabwe Town, coordinating activities
completely consistent with what Tonia’s parents envisioned when they started in 1968. Their activities however came to
an abrupt end when the civil war started, the same war that claimed my aunt as a victim in 1992.
I see the same passion in Dabwe Wiah. My 82-year-old uncle is grief stricken over the loss of his wife Mineke, but at the
same time still full of vitality and highly motivated to ensuring that the Damiefa School regains its position as the third
best primary school in Liberia. A start has been made by rebuilding the former assembly hall as the “Auditorium
Mineke”. The Mineke Foundation was able to generate the necessary funding for this through donations and grants.
The next stages are the renovation of the roof, the classrooms and the office, but we have not yet obtained the
necessary funding of EUR 26,500. We have applied for grants, but private donations are also most welcome. Another
aim is to install solar panels on the auditorium’s roof. With this sustainable lighting solution, they will not have to
depend on the (expensive) power supply. Extra costs for the solar panels: EUR 7,500.

3. During our trip we also got to know the people of Dabwe Town. This
community once consisted of around 400 people, whereas now - after the
war – the city has almost 3000 inhabitants. We listened to 'wise old men',
hard-working women and active young people with a sense of
responsibility, as they came up with projects that will help them to
develop themselves as well as the community. The local Mineke Foundation
Team supports them and encourages them to draw up an actual
implementation plan and cost estimate. In this way, they themselves take
step 1 and the Mineke Foundation can subsequently make available the
necessary means from the Netherlands as step 2. Please visit our
website for more information about our projects.
A number of projects that enable women (and men of course) to start up their own businesses, such as soap making
and pastry baking, are ready to go. A group of young people has united in the Just Say No Club. With their positive
attitude and practical measures against illegal habits such as drugs and criminality, they set an example to other
members of the community. For the so-called ‘learning plays’ which they perform, they still need a digital camera with
video (update: a digital camera has been donated) and a sound system (does anyone have such a device lying around in
the attic which we might use?). Mutual communication is their life line, hence a mobile phone is vital. For those who
are not able to help in kind: we need around EUR 4,000 for the aforementioned activities.
I feel very proud that I am related to someone who's trying to make a substantial difference. I am convinced that your
(financial) contribution is well-spent. Just this once, I will use the e-mail addresses of friends and acquaintances to
bring Tonia’s activities to your attention. And if you decide to help her… donating through her website is a piece of
cake. Every little bit helps in creating a brighter future for these children…
*The people who took part in this trip from 29 February to 8 March were: Tonia Dabwe (Chair), Elly Overeem (Secretary) of the
Mineke Foundation and Marieke Klosters, patron of the foundation. For the record, travel and accommodation expenses were paid
out of our own pockets. Please refer to the travel blog on the website for more information.
Translated by: Annemarie Bult (www.abbt.nl), volunteering time for a worthwhile cause.