Service members with Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (CNE) painted classrooms in two schools September 15 and 16, 2008 during an 11-day Africa Sports Diplomacy Tour to West and Central Africa as part of an Africa Partnership Station initiative to improve understanding and develop goodwill through sports, music, and community relations.

The service members painted rooms at the Prytanee School, a military boarding school, and the Martin Luther King school, in Libreville, Gabon.

Eric Honore Diboh, director of the Martin Luther King school, thanked the U.S. Navy for their effort, saying, "This will take care of the children of the poor families here."

Also during the visit, the CNE band brass quintet performed for the children, and the team delivered Project Handclasp donations -- including school supplies, soccer balls, stuffed animals, hygiene items and medical supplies.

Project Handclasp is an official U.S. Navy program that coordinates transportation and delivery of humanitarian, educational, and goodwill material donated by charity organizations, corporations, and private citizens in the United States for distribution to recipients in foreign countries.

"I'm really happy to be doing this; growing up in a third-world country, no one ever came to paint my schools or donate school supplies," said CNE Seaman Andre Huggins. "I feel fortunate to be able to do this for these kids. I've been in the Navy a year and a half and this is what I wanted to do for people."