Create a world where the inherent dignity and rights of women and girls are upheld! Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world, but that shouldn't stop the women and girls of Liberia from accessing education. As well as providing tuition, housing, food, and psycho-social support, the scholarship program provides professional mentorship to participants based on their interest of study and passion, and facilitates access to internships for scholars entering tertiary education.
Liberia emerged from 14 years of civil conflict as the fourth poorest country in the world. Liberia's education system is in crisis. There are limited employment opportunities for women. The number of women enrolling to vote and participating in elections is regressing. The social, economic, and political root causes of the civil war are yet to be adequately addressed. This is where the education and leadership of Liberia's women and girls comes in.
To build a long-term, sustainable democracy in Liberia we must prioritize access to education for women and girls and mobilize women and girls for peace, human rights, and democracy. Gbowee Peace Foundation's scholarship program supports more than 100 students each year, by providing tuition, education support, accommodation, food, and psycho-social support. The scholars are also supported with peace education and leadership training in order to become advocates for their communities.
There is a cyclical relationship between poverty and conflict. To break this cycle, interventions in education, public health, and poverty reduction must go hand-in-hand with peacemaking and democracy building. We know this is work that takes time. And we are committed to bringing long-term, sustainable peace to Liberia by investing in the skills, knowledge and leadership of the next generation (and future generations) of women and girls.
