Dear friends,
Ebola has now hit Kono, Sierra Leone with two confirmed cases and one person in quarantine. The girls supported by Mt. Top for Sierra Leone Women's Kono school project are not going to be in school this fall. Schools won't be open this year and life is getting increasingly difficult.

To combat Ebola, you wash your hands and feet with clorine, dettoil soap, and use hand santizer. Because of the demand throughout West Africa adn the increased cost of transporting goods to remote areas, price in Kono are sky high and supplies are almost exhausted. These simple products can save lives.

Adding to the threat of Ebola is the fear of Ebola. Initial symptoms of Ebola look like malaria or the common cold. In rainy season, malaria is always rampant and deadly but if you catch it in time, it can be treated by common medicine at any pharmacy. But now small pharmacies are closed and access to life saving malaria treatment is cut off. Many families are not seeking help for malaria for fear that they'll be stigmatized as possible Ebola households. Patrick Tongu believes that he can secure some anti-malaria drugs and common panadol. Families will come to him to get these medicines.

Finally, because of Ebola schools are closed. We'd really like to get each household a solar lamp so the girls and their families can do a bit of reading in the dark nights. If we can raise enough funds, we'll also buy some fiction books for the families to read together.

In am sure school will restart and life, always difficult, will return to normal. G-d willing, we'll be asking for money for new school uniforms, exam fees, and new textbooks soon. In the meantime, let's see what small-small thing we can do to improve a few girls and their families' lives.