Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) is a community-based program providing children with free, home-delivered books from birth to their 5th birthday. The Imagination Library was founded and created by beloved American songwriter, musician, actress, author and business-woman, Dolly Parton, in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee in 1996. The home library encourages reading at home between … Continue reading 15,000th book mailed to young child on Yap
Generator Keeps Power Flowing to School on Pohnpei
In early 2025, leaders at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School reached out to Habele, a US-nonprofit established by former Peace Corps Volunteers who lived and taught in Micronesia. The school sought assistance in addressing an urgent need caused by the ongoing, 28-days power-sharing measures announced by the Pohnpei Utilities Corporation (PUC). These measures … Continue reading Generator Keeps Power Flowing to School on Pohnpei
Habele Report Looks Back on Work in 2024
Habele is a US nonprofit, created by former Peace Corps Volunteers who lived and worked in Micronesia, and who wanted to remain engaged with the communities they served after their Peace Corps service. The word Habele is a Ulithian word. Ulithian is one of the many languages used in Micronesia. It means “to be” but … Continue reading Habele Report Looks Back on Work in 2024
YTNS Leads Efforts to Preserve Yapese Canoes
Safeguarding a Legacy at Risk Across the vast Pacific, the traditional navigation practices of Yap have long symbolized resilience, ingenuity, and deep cultural identity. These canoes are more than vessels—they are lifelines that connect the people of Yap to their past, the ocean, and each other. The art of voyaging, perfected over centuries, is deeply … Continue reading YTNS Leads Efforts to Preserve Yapese Canoes
US-Yapese Partnership on Display at Schools Across Yap
The school year on is well underway, and for some students on Yap it's a bit brighter than they may have expected upon return to campus. Over the summer a small group of Marines and Sailors were busy sprucing up their schools. Koa Moana U.S. Marines and Sailors of Combat Logistics Battalion 13, Combat Logistics … Continue reading US-Yapese Partnership on Display at Schools Across Yap
Young Island Readers Advancing Youth Literacy into Yap’s Remote Outer Islands
More than 500 children across Yap State, from birth to age five, are receiving a book each month from Young Island Readers The program, a partnership between US nonprofit Habele and the Imagination Library, aims to foster a lifelong love of learning and literacy but introducing small children to the joys of reading in their … Continue reading Young Island Readers Advancing Youth Literacy into Yap’s Remote Outer Islands
Habele Matching Donations to Reopen MicSem Library
Over four decades, Micronesian Seminar (MicSem) built an internationally recognized library with 24,000 print titles, 82,000 historical photos, more than 800 videos, and 22,000 audio tracks. When MicSem operations ended in 2012, its library was stored at Xavier High School in Chuuk, and recently moved to Yap. Relocation has saved the physical assets of the … Continue reading Habele Matching Donations to Reopen MicSem Library
Scholarship established to honor legacy of Jim Stovall
Habele, a US nonprofit established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, has announced the establishment of a memorial scholarship that honors the life and legacy of the late Jim Stovall. James T. Stovall, III provided the people of Micronesia with expert legal counsel for more than 50 years, beginning his service before the establishment of the … Continue reading Scholarship established to honor legacy of Jim Stovall
3,000th book mailed to Yap so far in 2023
“Young Island Readers” is a book-a-month donation program that provides children in Yap State from birth to age five a new age appropriate each and every month. In mid-October the 3,000th book this year will reach the Post Office box of a family on Yap. The heart of Young Island Readers is Dolly Parton’s Imagination … Continue reading 3,000th book mailed to Yap so far in 2023
125 Micronesian Students Awarded Habele Tuition Scholarships
A US nonprofit, established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, is awarding tuition scholarships to 125 students across the Federated States of Micronesia. Funded entirely by the annual donations of individual Americans, the scholarships help cover tuition costs at independent elementary and high schools within the FSM. Habele’s tuition scholarships ensure bright, hardworking students have access … Continue reading 125 Micronesian Students Awarded Habele Tuition Scholarships