Transform Education/Improve Livelihoods in Liberia

“Education is important, but students are not the only ones learning. Teachers can always learn and become better teachers. This [project] can help with that.”

These words from Stephanie, a participant to one of our teacher training courses in October, capture the essence of what we intended to achieve during our time there.

After months of planning, dozens of email exchanges, international calls and nearly 2 days of travel, our team of six finally arrived at Gbarma Central High School (GCHS). Hundreds of people from across the district had come to greet us - including students, teachers and community leaders. A welcome ceremony followed, chaired by the Honourable Joseph Matthew Jr (MP for Gbarpolu County District #3).

Our mutually agreed goals for this trip were three-fold:

1. Creating a culture of learning where all stakeholders take responsibility for improving teaching and learning within the schools
2. Equipping young people with creative thinking, business and enterprise skills
3. Creating a secure learning environment for teachers and students

To achieve this, we:

• Met and assessed needs with key stakeholders in the community 
• Delivered teacher training and skills sharing workshops on literacy and numeracy
• Facilitated sessions on leadership, innovation, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, arts and crafts. 
• Delivered Consent Education and Safeguarding workshops to students and teachers 
• Founded a Young Entrepreneurs Club for students

As well as gaining new skills and excitement about their future prospects, students reported feeling more empowered to make active choices in all of their relationships and to respect the choices of others. 

Many teachers on the other hand reported a complete transformation in their attitude and commitment towards their vocation:

“I have for the past thought students need to be approached harshly before they can know math because it is a serious course. But I think from here I will change and will teach math with fun” - James, GCHS Teacher

“I will make sure to involve the students the learning process and then making them students by speaking to them politely and encouraging them” - Simeon, Tarkpoima High School

The request for us to return and to deliver more training was unanimous and overwhelmingly enthusiastic. We plan to do so in early 2019, to continue the process of transformation: training teachers to boost their teaching skills, working with the community to improve the safeguarding of students and expanding their opportunities for entrepreneurship so that they can become more self-reliant.

None of this would be possible without your support, we deeply appreciate and count on it. Please consider sending us a generous gift this Christmas and do spread the word - every single penny helps! 

Thank you so much for partnering with us to improve education and economic security for young people and their families in Liberia. As Ron Hall said, Together we can change the world, just one random act of kindness at a time.

Links:

• Follow our journey and see detailed Trip Report here
• Find out more about us here