Education for children/girls in Teahplay, Liberia

Reaching Out to Children with Kindness (R.O.C.K), Inc. is opening doors to education. R.O.C.K’s Learning Dynamics Project (RLDP) seeks to increase reading and English-speaking skills and provide vocational skills for females in the Village of Teahplay Liberia.

Educational Supports Program:

Abigail, R.O.C.K.'s Liberia Correspondent, continues to work diligently to ensure accountability and progress of R.O.C.K.'s Learning Dynamic Project. Her report is as follows:

1. The children have moved from a broken-down building to a half-finished brick building being constructed in the Village of Teahplay. There are still dirt floors, and some children have to sit on planks because there is a shortage of desks. Notwithstanding, children are continuing to attend school and use their reading books at school and home.
2. The current school building has no windows or doors so R.O.C.K. has not yet bought proposed equipment (.e.g. laptop, projector etc.). Abigail continues to work with the principal, volunteer teachers and students as well as coordinate R.O.C.K’ scholarship program to help youngsters equip themselves to come back to also help improve education in the Teahplay School. So far, R.O.C.K. gave 5 scholarships that paid tuition for the academic year 2021-2022:

• 3 scholarship recipients are able attend to teacher’s college
• 2 scholarship recipients are able to complete high school

Results from the Capacity Building for Women and Girls

As reported previously, R.O.C.K. sponsored the training of 20 women and girls in soap making. The women and girls are residents of Teahplay community. Five trainees have become breadwinners, and are producing and selling soap to help their families. Other trainees continue to learn soap making, and will start selling to the community soon.

Stipends for:

1. Abigail (receives a stipend for her work as coordinator of RLDP)
2. Volunteer teachers (for helping with RLDP)

Links:

• R.O.C.K. Readers
• R.O.C.K. is educating the future check it out
• From trainee to breadwinner... hear her story!

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

R.O.C.K’s Learning Dynamics Project seeks to increase reading and English-speaking skills and provide vocational skills for females in the village of Teahplay, Nimba County, Liberia.

Last year R.O.C.K. provided reading books to each of the children that attended the school in Teahplay. This was the first time that any of these children had their own reading books this meant that they could continue reading when they were not in school. The reopening of school in the village was delayed in September due to COVID19 precautions and the principal of the school being sick. Although the children were not able to resume school in September, Abigail, R.O.C.K.’s Liberia Correspondent reported that most of the children actively read their reading books at home.

Academic Scholarships: Timothy and Susan are two of 5 students that received academic scholarships.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN

R.O.C.K. was able to launch the R.O.C.K. Vocational Training Program which provided vocational training for 20 females. The women and girls are all residents of Teahplay in Nimba County, Liberia.

Activity Description:

 Abigail, R.O.C.K.’s Liberia Correspondent, hired the services of a professional soap maker to train 20 women and girls in soap making. The women and girls were selected from the Teahplay based on their willingness and commitment to participate in the training program.

 Activty Results:

• All 20 girls and women are actively involved in the training program
• The women and girls are currently producing Liquid Soap, Chloride, Vaseline, and bathing soap.
• The girls and women have been very appreciative for the opportunity to realize their potentials to help themselves and their children.
• Girls and women in communities adjoining Teahplay are appealing to R.O.C.K to extend the vocational training program to girls and women in their communities. 
• The products that were made during training was sold in the market and the trainees made $26,500 Liberian dollars.

 Basic Evaluationn:

100% of the 20 women and girls has shown willingness and commitment to acquire new skills.

 Activity Cost: 

The cost of this training for the period October – December 2021 was US$925 (US$750 for cost of materials US$50 for trainer’s stipend, and US$125 for buying and printing of T-shirts.) Our Liberia correspondent was also given a monthly stipend for recruiting, coordinating, and overseeing the training program as well in addition to her work with the Teahplay school. The goal is to extend training to other areas such as tailoring and tie and dye. The skills are empowering the women and girls, helping them to get incomes of their own.