In 1988 a man discovered an unnamed asteroid in space. For 37 years it remained there, labelled only as 4793.
This year, 2015, the centenary of the death of Mary Slessor, the asteroid has officially been named ‘Slessor 4793′ after a petition was established by a Belgian based twinning charity.
On 8th March 2015, the world celebrated International Women’s Day.
Only a few days before, a motion was discussed during a member’s debate in the Scottish Parliament discussing Mary Slessor and the Mary Slessor centenary events in light of this important day.
See this video of the debate…
http://www.scottishparliament.tv/category.aspx?sort=date&vid=0_ixaisymp
In any educational environment graduation is a significant milestone that celebrates and recognizes the hard work and achievements of the students completing their studies, as well as all the teachers, mentors, family, and friends who supported them in making this dream a reality. Many students at the Mary Slessor Foundation (MSF) Vocational Training & Skills Acquisition Centre are supported financially by one or more relatives, though some manage to pay for their own training.
This December, the Mary Slessor Foundation celebrated the graduation of several students. We wish them good luck on their journey onwards.
Students come to the Mary Slessor Foundation (MSF) in rural Nigeria to learn skills that will enable them to contribute to their well-being and those of their families and communities. However, many students struggle to pay school fees each month without a current source of income or someone to support them such as a parent. We were delighted when a pioneering scholarship offer came to us from Xenos Media Group, LLC, a first for both MSF and the company that will enable one promising youth to complete the entire two year training program at no cost to them.
Full Name: Okon Edet Okon
Nickname: Ratty
Family: Wife (Promise), Sons (Kingsley and Edet)
From: Ifako Okoyong
Lives in: Akpap Okoyong
The fate of empires depends on the education of youth.” (Aristotle)
In any educational environment graduation is a significant milestone that celebrates and recognizes the hard work and achievements of the students completing their studies, as well as all the teachers, mentors, family, and friends who supported them in making this dream a reality. Many students at the Mary Slessor Foundation (MSF) Vocational Training & Skills Acquisition Centre are supported financially by one or more relatives, though some manage to pay for their own training.
Palm oil processing is part of everyday life here in southeast Nigeria. Every community has countless palm trees giving the landscape a picturesquely tropical look, while the not-so-pleasant scent of palm fruit cooking is never far away. The process of turning palm fruit from the oil palm tree into crude palm oil for consumption is not only an important end product and key ingredient in many local dishes, but it is also an income generating activity that enables many women, as well as some men and youth, to earn additional finances to support their families. Nigeria is currently the third largest producer of palm oil, but consumes more crude oil than it produces leading to the importation of additional oil from other countries. The oil produced from both the palm fruit and palm kernels have many other uses as well, including cosmetics and as an ingredient in processed foods.
The Mary Slessor Foundation are saddened by the news of the death of a very dear friend Elizabeth Robertson, the author of Mary Slessor “The Barefoot Missionary”.
The following is a recent insight of everyday village life in Akpap Okoyong by Christine Adolf, Volunteer Services Officer.
Mary Slessor Foundation Vocational Training Center: School is in Session May 7, 2012 Akpap Okoyong, Cross River State
As you stroll down the green grassy field of the Center when school is in session, you’ll get a glimpse of student life as they practice what they’re learning each day here in Akpap Okoyong.
The Calabar Women’s Organisation, which works to promote education and health in the part of the country where Mary lived and worked, visited Dundee to honour her memory.
The medical centre has now been open for eighteen months and in that time has received over two thousand people. Over thirty babies have been born, so far, and to date, thankfully, there has been no fatality of mother or child, and no deaths from malaria. The foundation would like to welcome a new doctor to the centre, Dr Kingsley, who will be instrumental in helping us become the regional centre for HIV Aids and Tuberculosis. We are making great advances in gaining the confidence of the local people in our medical provision and to offer TBA’s(Traditional Birthing Attendees) training, in basic hygiene, complication in childbirth and labor. We are now seeking funding for Solar panel powered electricity for centre.