African Girls Leadership Initiative

Dreams Realized & Moving Toward Targeted Advocacy

Friends,

We are so very happy to report that as of our last two reports, "the success story” where we highlighted 2 of our scholars obtaining Bachelor & Associate Degrees from 2 local Universities in Liberia, we have had several other reasons to celebrate. We are excited to share with you our newest success stories:

OUR 2014 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE!!!

We are so honored and proud to announce that our AGLI High Schol Senior Ernestine earned a High School Diploma from the Effort Baptist Church School on June 30, 2014. Ernestine has applied to the Foundation’s International Scholarship program for tertiary schools and a determination will be made as soon as possible to get her enrolled into college.

GPFA's INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFF TO A NEW START!!!

Four of our scholars (all West African female students) left for the United States of America in the second week of August, 2014 to study at various Universities/Colleges. They include: Georgia , Yvonne, Anita and Delight. Georgia is our first Liberian student to gain admission into a full Master Program at the University of Arkansas, Clinton School of Public Service in Arkansas, USA. Georgia holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communication (2011) from the African Methodist Episcopal University in Monrovia. Yvonne, a sophomore Scholar at the United Methodist University was able to matriculate to the Cedar Crest University undergraduate program in Pennsylvania, USA, where she is currently studying for a Bachelor in Social Work. Delight and Anita, both Ghanaian nationals, are pursuing undergraduate degrees at Eastern Mennonite University, Virginia, USA and Barnard College, New York, USA respectively. These 4 young women were awarded international scholarships on January 30, 2014 at the Foundation's 2nd Gala Anniversary held in Liberia.

GATHERING OF SCHOLARS

On June 17, 2014, our 2nd Gathering of Scholars took place at the Musu's Spot Conference Hall, in Congo Town, Liberia. Twenty-five girls were opportune to interact with the Founder/President of GPFA, Madam Gbowee and other members of GPFA management team. In this gathering, the girls were encouraged to share personal stories and challenges they faced in school and life in general. It was also a time of getting to know each other - especially the girls who were attending schools outside Monrovia. It was a great time of experience sharing. Our international Education Program intern, conducted an hour of training on how to write resumes (curriculum vitae) and sit for an interview. We had a visiting dean and professor from a university in California come share with the students about life on a US College campus. The highlight of the gathering was the determination of the express need to get into targeted advocacy to help eradicate sexual exploitation of young girls on secondar and tertiary school campuses.

INTERNSHIP PLACEMENTS OF LOCAL SCHOLARS

Under the AGLI scholarship program, the scholars are required to participate in a month-long community service internship with various Institutions, as a way of giving back to their respective communities and/or counties. The Program Department at the Foundation worked with the girls to identify areas for placement based on their area of specialization at their respective Universities/Colleges. These girls are placed on internship at different intervals throughout the year, with perdiem/stipend provided to them for their time with their host facility. As part of the placement process, our program staff accompanied some of the girls within Monrovia for placement after an official letter was sent and the institution(s) confirmed their acceptance. Some of these Institutions included the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, Liberia Observer Corporation and the Center for Agriculture & Research Institution (CARI). Mid-way into their internships, we had to pull the girls out of the facilities due to the heightened outbreak of the EBOLA Virus in Liberia. For now, with schools closed, we have enlisted the help of the older students to go out and do targeted EBOLA outreach and awareness. They were given training by a specialist from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare from its department of Prevention and Disease Control on the education about, eradication and prevention of the deadly disease.