Dollar for Peace Campaign

1.0 EDUCATION FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

Through GPFA’s 360-degree scholarship program, one hundred twenty-seven (127) students representing sixty-nine (69) local and international students plus fifty-eight local high school students continue to access education and healthcare. In some cases, other students who come from impoverished backgrounds receive financial assistance beyond tuition.

Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa's approach to girls’ education is more than just paying tuition for scholarship recipients. GPFA’s360-degree support to students means that the Programs Team ensures that each student’s housing, food, school supplies and uniforms, and health care are taken care of, as well as transporting students from their home communities to their school or university.

Since September 17, 2022, five (5) of our local university students graduated with bachelor's degrees; in addition, another graduate earned a diploma in Refrigeration Repair from the NetLib Vocational Training Institute after completing a year of study. Here is a list of universities, majors, and GPA earned.

University: Stella Maris Polytechnic; Course: Electrical Engineering; GPA: 3.65

University: Stella Maris Polytechnic; Course: Environmental Science; GPA: 3.45

University: Blue Crest University College; Course: Information Technology; GPA: 3.98

University: Starze; Course: Information Technology; GPA: 3.00

University: African Methodist Episcopal; Course: Economics; GPA: 3.31

2.0 TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES (TLI)

TLI is one of GPFA’s core priority focus areas aimed at developing a generation of young African leaders committed to democracy and the peaceful transformation of their communities. Peacejam is one of the TLI. 

 PEACEJAM LIBERIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 

Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa Peace Jam’s Youth Leadership Conference is a peace education curriculum based on the lives of 14 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, including Leymah Gbowee. The 2022 gathering was the fourth year that GPFA hosted the  PeaceJam conference, entitled  “Our Peace, Our Future, Our Legacy” at the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary from December 1 through December 4, 2022. 

Three hundred forty persons participated including PeaceJammers, mentors, and adult advisors from twenty-five (25) clubs and schools from Montserrado, Margibi, and Bong counties. The conference focused on small group discussions and service projects, featuring 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate and GPFA Founder Leymah Gbowee.

3.0 DRIVING INNOVATIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

The strategic objective of Driving Innovations through Community Empowerment (DICE) is to empower local communities and improve women’s participation in private and public decision-making. In commemoration of International Women’s Day, GPFA hosted three different events: Festival of Women, Feminist Lecture Series, and the “Walk A Mile in Her Shoes” on March 2 and 4, 2023 respectively.

3.1 Festival of Women (Breakfast Walk and Talk) - January 7, 2023

Since its inception in 2012, BWT continues to serve as a space where women and girls from

different backgrounds can network and share personal experiences.

.This year’s Festival of Women brought together 218 women from different sectors of society including the Army Wives Association, Peace Brigades, and other women from the communities. There were several topics facilitated by our distinguished Board members: Financial Security (Ms. Abigail), Your Health, Your Wealth (Dr. Rose), Building Your Business (Ms. Eyvonne), Setting Goals: Making Plans to Succeed (Ms. Sara), and two other distinguished women: A Journey of Faith (Lady Della) and Be Youthful-Self-Care (Hon. Clara).

This event centered around women's empowerment and gave women an opportunity to come together as a community and learn about important empowerment tools, such as Financial Security,  Business Management, Personal Health, and self-care. Since 2016, GPFA has been hosting Breakfast Walk N’ Talk events by creating networking opportunities for women and girls from different backgrounds.

 On March 2, 2023, GPFA hosted its 12^th Feminist Lecture Series (Her Story) under the theme “Voice Vagina Violence. Shut Up, Shut Out”, at the Bella Casa Hotel in Monrovia. 

 3.2 FEMINIST LECTURE SERIES

Beyond Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa’s scholarship programming, GPFA is committed to facilitating community conversations that challenge traditional gender roles and encourage women’s social and political participation and leadership through the Feminist Lecture Series. The 2023 conversation began with Ms. Thomas asking Madam Gbowee to share her experience with Voice Vagina Violence and how she handled the issue. Madam Gbowee shared heartfelt stories on how society uses violence to address a woman whenever she is outspoken and stands out. She explained how society tends to attack a woman’s vagina (verbal abuse) or physically attack a woman whenever she speaks out concerning the icky truths of society that are ignored. 

Further into the discussion, other panelists also shared their experiences on the topic in their professional fields and their personal lives. They all agreed that violence doesn’t only pose a threat to themselves but to their families as well. After an hour and thirty minutes of panel discussion, the conversation was then opened to the audience for questions and inputs. In Madam Gbowee’s concluding statement she listed three major things that should be done to stop the issue of voice vagina violence. 

3.3 WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES - MARCH 4, 2023

Under the Driving Innovations through Community Empowerment (DICE) program and in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2023, GPFA hosted a solidarity men's march titled, “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”. This campaign aimed at raising awareness about all forms of gender-based violence and other issues affecting women. 

The men walked in solidarity with women while wearing signs that each represented a different hardship that women face. Male participants were required to carry 2kg bags l with inscriptions such as Rape, Female Genital Mutilation, Sex for Grades, Femicide, Domestic Violence, Unsafe Abortion, and Labor. 

3.4 FEMINIST POLICY LAB-FPL

 The FPL focuses on improving the capabilities of young feminists from grassroots organizations in three of Liberia’s fifteen counties: Montserrado, Margibi, and Bong. The ultimate goal of the Feminist Policy Lab is to influence the Liberian government’s agenda on all issues related to gender equality. This pilot program targeted 12 Liberian female activists between the ages of 21 to 27 who are seniors in college or have earned a bachelor's degree and are now finalizing their research work.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT TO GBOWEE PEACE FOUNDATION AFRICA.