YAI donates to support rural education
Monrovia, Liberia: The American based youth organization Youth Action International has made a L$75,000 donation to the Ma Martha Juah Charitable Foundation to aid the renovation of the Dorothy Cooper Elementary school in Bong Country county. The donation will provide renovation and desks for the 400 students attending the school.
Making the donation on behalf of Youth Action International, the organizations Program Officer for Women & Children Ms. Martina Marshall noted that Youth Action International will prioritized supporting rural education this year. She noted: “We see so much potential in young people living in rural Liberia. We also see that the schools in the rural area are trying their best to cater to the needs of children, but are finding many difficulties. We therefore want to support some of the schools in the most remote areas of Liberia.” Ms. Marshall noted that over the next few months, Youth Action International will extend to Nimba, Lofa and other rural areas.�
Receiving the donation on behalf of her foundation, former Miss Liberia Patrice Juah expressed gratitude to Youth Action International for its efforts to empower Liberian children and youth. She noted that her dream of winning Miss Liberia and her work after turning over the crown is dedicated to helping educate Liberian children. She explained of her initiative: “I believe that education is the key to success, and we can ensure the success of Liberia by educated the young people.”
Youth Action International’s Executive Director Kimmie Weeks welcomed the initiative of Youth Action International-Liberia and encouraged more organizations to focus on supporting education. He recalled his address to the nation in which he asked the government to prioritize education. “We already seen that since July 26th, the Liberian government has made strides to promote free and compulsory education. We must all join forces to see that this goal remains at the forefront of the national agenda.”
In addition to its support to rural schools, Youth Action International is also providing scholarships to students in Monrovia. The organization has awarded over 100 scholarships to the most deserving students who would not otherwise be able to attend school. Ms. Marshall outlined that in its bid to support rural education, the organization would begin extending its scholarship initiatives to rural Liberia.