In April 2008 Liberia I held a reunion in Lexington, Kentucky. Several Liberians were guests at the reunion and updated the group on current conditions and pressing needs in Liberia. Since Liberia I worked in education, the group decided to help out with books and scholarships. Here is what the group has been able to do this past year.
Library Books
Liberia I helped African Children’s Libraries a bit with donations of a few books about Africa, some money, some sports equipment for Zwedru/ Tchien at the request of a member of the new Peace Corps Response team and help with compiling a bibliography of best books for elementary level Liberian children. Ann Easterly, who runs African Children’s Libraries, was a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia with Group VII and a retired school librarian. Over the past few years she has been busy collecting new and used books, writing grants and setting up elementary school libraries in Liberia. She goes back to Liberia herself to set up the libraries and to train the librarians. The current book shipment that went out March 26 includes library books for 20 small elementary school libraries--- enough to set up 5 new libraries and to add 100 more books to each library that was set up previously. Because of grant money, the shipment contains some books about Liberia/ Africa.
Textbooks
Liberia I donated several hundred dollars to send requested textbooks air freight to Liberia through the International Book Project in Lexington, Kentucky. The first bag of books sent this way did not “reach”. This did not deter Angene and Jack Wilson, Liberia I, who live in Lexington. They worked with Rachel Lewis, the director of the International Book Project who found a grant to ship a container of books to Baltimore. Firestone, through its humanitarian aid program, agreed to ship the container to Liberia. On April 4 Angene and Jack, other RPCVs in the area, Liberians and Ghanaians packed 11,000 books--- a combination of elementary and secondary math/science/literature/library and some college books. After the books arrive in Monrovia about June1 they will be distributed by Yoshudea, a Liberian NGO. Angene and Jack learned about the NGO from Mosoka Fallah, a Liberian doctoral student who graduated in the last class before the war from Suehn Industrial Academy where they had taught as Peace Corps volunteers.
Scholarships
After much research the Liberia I scholarship committee decided to send scholarship money to Liberia through American missions operating there. The committee chose mission schools because they are usually well-run and are able to keep their class sizes small enough so that students have an opportunity to learn. In addition, Liberia I members need to be sure that (1) the money gets to Liberia, (2) the money is used for the neediest students, (3) donations are tax-deductible and (4) hopefully there will be some general feedback about how the students/schools are doing. For the 2008-09 school year the committee tried out the system with a half dozen tuition scholarships. So far for the 2009-10 school year the group has come up with tuition for approximately 20-25 students at Catholic and Lutheran mission schools. The group is working through Father Ted Hayden of the SMA Fathers in the Cape Palmas area and through Bette McCrandall who is Supervisor of the Lutheran Church in its Liberian School System. Fr. Hayden has worked in Liberia since 1959 and Bette McCrandall is a former Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1973-78. The scholarship committee is also working on setting up contact with the Methodist mission. In general, whatever you pay here for a good pair of shoes will pay tuition for one student for an entire year at a mission school outside of Monrovia.
This information was shared in hope that others--- individuals and groups--- can find ways to help our second homeland in this time of great need and great possibilities.