MacDella Cooper and the kids

Monrovia - The MacDella Cooper Foundation (MCF), is celebrating its second annual Christmas for Liberian orphans on Christmas Day. 

The event, which will be held at the Susie Gunter Orphanage, will bring together more than 500 orphans from about six orphanages in and around Monrovia. They will be providing a hot meal and gifts to the children. There will also be singing and games with music provided by the popular, DJ Blue who is donating his services. 

Both Miss Liberia, Patrice Juah and Miss Liberia (US), Tammie Garr will be at the event.  “I am very excited to be a part of this event,” says Ms. Juah.  “Too many people talk about doing good things but MacDella and her foundation are really doing them,” she said.

Miss Liberia (US), Tammie Garr, who grew up in Liberia traveled back home after living in the United States for the past 10 years to be a part of the work that MCF is doing.  “Being part of this is very special for me.  Liberian children represent the future of the country and MCF is helping these orphans prepare themselves to make a positive contribution to the Liberian society,” Ms. Garr noted.

“We are so pleased with the support we have gotten for this project,” says MacDella Cooper, founder of the foundation that bears her name.  “The children were so happy at last year’s event that we’ve decided to make it an annual celebration,” she said.

Each child will receive a bag full of gifts.  “Last year we learned that for many of the children it was the first time they had every received a Christmas present,” Ms. Cooper said. Gifts and food for the event have either been donated or offered at significant discounts. 

MCF would like to thank in particular Abi-Jaoudi Supermarket for their generosity; and to The Crystal Prayer Foundation; for their help with the preparation of the food for the Christmas party. Miatta Korpo of the Van Lith Foundation provided significant assistance including transportation for the orphans to the event site.

”Our work is at a grassroots level.  We get no funding from any government agency, we rely on contributions.  Our work is oriented to giving these children a sense of self-esteem which we believe is so important,” Ms. Cooper reiterated.

MCF, a U.S. and Liberian registered 501c3 charitable organization rebuilds orphanages.  This work includes providing new beds and mattresses, painting the facilities, upgrading the toilet areas and putting down new floors.  “It’s amazing how much difference we see in the children after the renovations”, adds Ms. Cooper, a Liberian native living in New York.  “We know that their performance in school also improves.” 

MCF provides materials such as books, notebooks, pencils, etc. to aid in the children’s education.  One of the organizations goals is to see that all 500 orphans get a good education.