Nehemiah Gateway Usa Inc

HELPING AND EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO SUSTAINABLY SHAPE AND DETERMINE THEIR LIVES IN DIGNITY AND INDEPENDENCE

NEHEMIAH GATEWAY USA PROVIDES SUPPORT TO NEHEMIAH GATEWAY UNIVERSITY AND NEHEMIA SCHOOL IN POGRADEC, ALBANIA. THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS A THREE-YEAR BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM IN BUSINESS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF MINORS IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. A TWO-YEAR MASTER'S PROGRAM IN LEADERSHIP PREPARES LEADERS IN EDUCATION, BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN 2021 THE UNIVERSITY HAD APPROXIMATELY 60 STUDENTS ENROLLED FROM OVER EIGHT COUNTRIES ACROSS EUROPE, AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA. THE UNIVERSITY HOLDS THREE INSTITUTIONAL AND/OR PROGRAM ACCREDITATIONS; IN THE U.S. BY TRACS (TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS), IN ALBANIA BY APAAL (PUBLIC AGENCY FOR THE ACCREDITATIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION), AND IN GERMANY AND THE EU BY FIBAA (FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ACCREDITATION). MOST INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS RECEIVE FULL SCHOLARSHIPS, INCLUSIVE OF ROOM, BOARD AND TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR THE THREE-YEAR DURATION OF THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE STUDIES. INSTRUCTION AT NG UNIVERSITY IS PROVIDED IN A SEMINAR FORMAT IN ENGLISH, WITH BOTH IN-HOUSE PROFESSORS AND GUEST LECTURERS FROM UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. NG USA HELPS TO ORGANIZE AND FACILITATE SOME OF THESE INTERNATIONAL INSTRUCTORS. THE NG UNIVERSITY PROGRAM FOLLOWS A SLIGHTLY MODIFIED GERMAN "DUAL-STUDY" MODEL WHICH CONSISTS OF FIFTY PERCENT ACADEMIC STUDY AND FIFTY PERCENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. NG USA PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE TO NG UNIVERSITY BACHELOR'S PROGRAM STUDENTS. SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS ARE NOMINATED BY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS OR BUSINESSES IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. THEY TYPICALLY WORK FOR, OR ARE CONNECTED TO, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. WHILE ENROLLED IN THE UNIVERSITY, THREE MONTHS PER YEAR ARE SPENT IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES INTERNING WITH THE PARTNER ORGANIZATION THAT NOMINATED THEM AND MAINTAINING THEIR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL STUDY TAKES PLACE IN GERMANY, ALBANIA AND OTHER WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THOUGH CURTAILED TO A LARGE DEGREE IN 2021 DUE TO COVID-19 TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS. AS A CONDITION OF THEIR SCHOLARSHIP, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO WORK IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS UPON GRADUATION. NG USA ALSO HELPS PROVIDE ACCESS TO START-UP CAPITAL AND ROBUST MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS TO HELP THESE STUDENTS MAINTAIN THEIR MOMENTUM ONCE THEY RETURN HOME UPON GRADUATION. AFTER GRADUATES RETURN HOME, THEY ARE EMPOWERED TO HELP OTHERS LEARN TO SURVIVE, THRIVE AND PROSPER. NG USA'S FINANCIAL AND MENTORING INVESTMENT IN THESE YOUNG LEADERS ULTIMATELY BRINGS BENEFIT TO ENTIRE COMMUNITIES, IN A MANNER THAT IS LED AND DETERMINED BY THOSE COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES. FOR EXAMPLE, START UP FUNDS WERE PROVIDED BY NG USA TO AN NGU ALUMNUS IN UGANDA FOR TRUCK RENTAL COSTS TO SUPPORT HER GROUNDNUT BUSINESS, DESIGNED TO EMPOWER UNDEREMPLOYED WOMEN. IN 2021 COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS NECESSITATED CONTINUED ONLINE LECTURING, SUPPLEMENTED BY IN PERSON LEARNING WHEN POSSIBLE. NG USA ALSO PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS OF THE NEHEMIA SCHOOL, A K-12 INSTITUTION LOCATED ON THE BUCIMAS, ALBANIA CAMPUS. THE SCHOOL HAS AN ENROLLMENT OF OVER 400 CHILDREN, SOME OF WHOM ARE KEEN LEARNERS YET UNDERPRIVILEGED, WELL-DESERVING OF TUITION ASSISTANCE. NG USA CONTINUED TO PROVIDE LAPTOPS FOR THE SECONDARY TEACHERS, MOST OF WHOM HAD BEEN RELYING SOLELY ON FAMILY-OWNED CELL PHONES, ENABLING THEM TO TEACH FROM HOME IN A MORE EFFECTIVE MANNER DURING THE 2021 COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS.

NG ALBANIA HAS A WELL-ESTABLISHED AID DELIVERY PROGRAM, IN ADDITION TO TWO SOUP KITCHENS IN THE CITIES OF POGRADEC AND GJIROKASTER. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE FOOD AND OTHER MATERIAL AID TO PEOPLE IN NEED. WORLD BANK ESTIMATED THE POVERTY RATE IN ALBANIA AT ABOUT 37% IN 2020. IN 2021, NG PROVIDED AID TO 400 HOUSEHOLDS PER MONTH, AS WELL AS 199 MEALS DAILY AT THE TWO SOUP KITCHENS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CREATED INCREASED NEED FOR AID THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES NG SERVES, AND NG USA FUNDRAISING MADE IT POSSIBLE TO EXPAND THE REACH OF THE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, A UGANDAN GRADUATE OF NEHEMIAH GATEWAY UNIVERSITY DISTRIBUTED AID TO 40 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED DURING UGANDA'S DEVASTATING COVID LOCKDOWN IN SUMMER 2021, USING FUNDS RAISED BY NEHEMIAH GATEWAY USA. IN ADDITION TO FOOD AID DELIVERY, NG ALSO PROVIDES A VARIETY OF PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES BOTH AT ITS CLINIC IN BUCIMAS AND THROUGH HOME VISITATION. IN 2021, GRANT FUNDING SECURED BY NG USA LAUNCHED A NEW CHILDREN'S LEARNING CENTER TO EXPAND FREE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. IN ALBANIA, VERY FEW SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND AS A RESULT MOST OF THESE CHILDREN NEVER GO TO SCHOOL. THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED WITH A SERIES OF TRAININGS LED BY ONE OF ALBANIA'S LEADING EXPERTS IN WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. SEPARATE SESSIONS WERE HELD FOR NG CLINIC STAFF, TEACHERS AT NG'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND TEACHERS IN POGRADEC PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHO RARELY RECEIVE TRAINING IN WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DIFFERENCES. CHILDREN'S LEARNING CENTER FUNDING FURTHER ALLOWED NG TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL CLINICIAN, OFFER MORE HOURS OF TREATMENT AT OUR CLINIC FOR 50 CHILDREN, AND ADD 10 MORE CHILDREN TO THE PROGRAM. ANOTHER, SEPARATE GRANT SPONSORED A TWO-WEEK SUMMER CAMP FOR THESE CHILDREN IN SUMMER 2021, DURING WHICH 25 CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO LEARN AND PLAY WITH OTHER CHILDREN LIKE THEM IN A SAFE AND SUPERVISED SETTING. NG USA ALSO SUPPORTS A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR OVER 200 AT-RISK CHILDREN IN SUNYANI, THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE BRONG AHAFO REGION OF GHANA IN WEST AFRICA.

THE AMARO TAN PROJECT IS A SCHOOL FOR ROMA, ALBANIAN EGYPTIAN, AND AT-RISK ALBANIAN CHILDREN. THREE PERCENT OF ROMA YOUTH COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL, AND VERY FEW OF THOSE WHO GRADUATE ARE GIRLS. LACK OF EDUCATION CONTRIBUTES TO AN INTRACTABLE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE AMARO TAN SCHOOL PROVIDES A SAFE PLACE FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN LIVING ON THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY, HELPING SHIELD THEM FROM TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE WHILE GIVING THEM HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. AMARO TAN SCHOOL OFFERS EDUCATION, INCLUDING AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING, FROM KINDERGARTEN TO SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR 130 CHILDREN. IN 2021, GRANT FUNDING FROM NG USA COMPLETELY REPLACED AN OUTDATED AND UNSAFE PLAYGROUND AT AMARO TAN, PROVIDING A SAFE AND FUN PLACE TO PLAY FOR THE YOUNGER CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOL. ADDITIONALLY, NG USA RAISED FUNDS IN 2021 TO LAUNCH A PILOT PROGRAM OFFERING INCENTIVES FOR ATTENDANCE, PARTICIPATION, AND GOOD CITIZENSHIP AMONG STUDENTS AT AMARO TAN. IN THE SOUTHERN ALBANIAN CITY OF GJIROKASTER, ONGOING FUNDRAISING BY NG USA SUPPORTS AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK ROMA CHILDREN. CHILDREN RECEIVE SUPPORT IN ACQUIRING NEEDED SUPPLIES, INCLUDING CLOTHES AND SHOES, BACKPACKS, AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES, TO ATTEND LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL. THEY COME TO THE GJIROKASTER NG CENTER AFTER SCHOOL EVERY DAY FOR A HOT LUNCH (IN ALBANIA, THE BIGGEST MEAL OF THE DAY), HOMEWORK HELP, AND SOCIAL TIME WITH FRIENDS. THEIR FAMILIES RECEIVE MONTHLY AID PARCELS AS LONG AS THE CHILDREN STAY ENROLLED IN SCHOOL. THIS APPROACH HAS LED TO A REMARKABLY LOW ATTRITION RATE, WITH MOST OF THE CHILDREN STAYING IN SCHOOL AND LEARNING BASIC SKILLS, SUCH AS READING AND MATH, THAT WILL HELP THEM BUILD BETTER LIVES FOR THEMSELVES AS ADULTS.