INTRODUCTION:
This report covers recent activities implemented under the above-mentioned Project covering the month under review (August 2019 –October 2019). Activities were held in Bomi, Cape Mount, Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties in Liberia. The report reflects the beginning of the new school year in Liberia and the beginning of the rural women’s loan project in Kakata Margibi County.
2.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH:
2.1 Preparation of application forms for the scholarship program 2019/2020;
2.2. Launch of the Back to School Book Ride;
2.3 Organized meetings with County stakeholders and schools’ authorities;
ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW:
Application Forms:The Support to Rural Girls educational project begin its second year with schools in all five Counties including one additional county applying for acceptance on the program. Schools in all five counties have applied for the 2019/2020 scholarship program including one school from Bong County has also applied for acceptance on the program.
The application form is the first document that schools have to complete before being accepted on the program, this document includes criterial for schools and students wishing to be on the program.
Schools applying for this application are:
Back to School Book Ride: Learning Squared Liberia officially launch the Back to School book ride in Liberia during the month of September 2019, the aim of this Book ride is to provide some school material to school going children in five counties in :Liberia. The Book Ride visited schools in Montserrado, Margibi, Bassa, Bomi and Cape Mount Counties. The Back to School Book Ride is an initiative of Learning Squared Liberia which provides notebooks, pens, pencils and other learning materials to students benefiting from our direct scholarship program and other underserved rural students in the community.
During the Book Ride, students receive free school supplies, interact with the program team and seek information about our 2020 scholarship program. This year’s Back to School Book Ride brought significant value in working with children of Liberia. We envision every child having the best learning opportunities possible, beginning with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom.
The Back to School Book Ride provided the underserved students with the supplies they need to succeed this school year. Learning Squared Liberia was able to supply over 2000, 1- 6 grade students in five counties we are currently implementing our support to rural education initiative in Liberia.
Staff and partner training: During the month of August 2019, Learning Squared-Liberia team conducted training for staff and other partners on the criterial and application for the new school year. The training was aimed at refreshing the mind of staff and partners on child safeguarding standards practices and how to complete the scholarship application form for 2019/2020 school year.
Stakeholders Meeting: During the period under review, Learning Squared Liberia facilitated five (5) town hall interactive sessions with County and District Education authorities, policy makers and local and community leaders in the project areas.The purpose of this meetings were to provide complete information to all stakeholders and policy makers on completing the scholarship application forms and criterial set for student wishing to be on this year scholarship program 2019/2020.
These meetings which brought together over 200 persons in all five project communities was very interactive open to all participants, question were asked, and participants spoke on other issues and promise to work in line with Learning Squared Liberia policy on safeguarding children and education.
4.0 Constraints:
There were few challenges that the project team encounter during the period under review, Increased in the demand for the project to other communities and high cost of transportation for volunteers and staff, due to the bad roads condition in rural Liberia, Our team had to travel on motorcycles to get to communities and schools.
5.0 Recommendations / conclusion: Thanks and appreciation to our supporters, donors, GlobalGiving, local communities and schools for the level of commitment shown towards the successful implementation of the project. Learning Squared Liberia continue to receive calls and appeal from other communities for similar intervention.
INTRODUCTION:
This update is a highlight of recent activities implemented under the above-mentioned Project covering the month under review (May-July 2019). Activities were held in Bomi, Cape Mount, Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties in Liberia. The report reflects the agreement between GlobalGiving and the Learning Squared -Liberia for the implementation of the project.
2.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH:
2.1 Globalgiving Foundation Field Traveler, Visits Learning Squared Liberia Country office
2.2. Completion of activities for 2018-2019 school year
3.0 ACHIEVEMENTS/ IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT FOR THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW:
Globalgiving Foundation Field Traveler, Visits Learning Squared Liberia Country office
Learning Squared, formerly IDA-Liberia was excited to receive Globalgiving Foundation’s Field Traveler, Dalila Sumani, from the United States of America in its offices in Monrovia. This visit comes as part of the partnership agreement between GlobalGiving Foundation and Learning Squared Liberia.
The purpose of the visit was to provide our partner the opportunity to monitor project activities, speak with some beneficiaries, and understand the level of impact support from Globalgiving and other donors support have made on the lives of ordinary Liberians, especially women and children through our intervention. The visit will also provide the opportunity to Globalgiving Field Traveler to interact and monitor ongoing projects implemented by Learning Squared in Liberia
Sumani’s visit provided the opportunity to meet staff of Leaning Squared, share experiences, lesson learned, challenges and impacts of Learning Squared Liberia. Making a brief remark at the office Mr. Alvin M. Freeman, Program Manager, welcomed Globalgiving in Liberia and expressed the organization’s unflinching support and commitment to work with her while in Liberia.
Making a brief remark, Sumani expressed thanks to Learning Squared team and praised them for the level of work done in the County and Liberia as a whole. She thanked and encouraged team to keep up the good work and continue to work in the interest of the beneficiaries. She further urged beneficiaries to take Learning Squared Liberia project activities under the support to education and village loan saving projects serious. As it will help provide alternative solutions to some of the challenges, they faced at the community level.
Completion of activities for 2018-2019 school year
Learning Squared Liberia successfully completed its 2018-2019 scholarship program in Liberia. The organization partnered with 11 schools in 5 counties in Liberia. Over 231 students received scholarship assistance, including direct support in the form of tuition payment, notebooks and distribution of assorted books, and learning materials to students. The 2018-2019 school year was full of lesson learned, challenges, impact and success stories. The overall percentage of enrollment according to school administrators and management teams were overwhelming. This was due to support and the willingness of the schools and communities to support the project.
4.0 Constraints:
During the months under review, there were few challenges that we encountered. Transportation and accessibility of rural and remote areas. This is a serious challenge to our work, we had to allocate extra funds to make sure our team travel to project sites. Our team had to used bikes and some instances walk miles to get to our beneficiaries.
5.0 Recommendations / conclusion
Thanks, and appreciation to our supporters, donors, GlobalGiving, local communities and schools for the level of commitment shown towards the successful implementation of the project. As the team continued to support our beneficiaries. Learning Squared-Liberia is appealing to supporters and donors for more support as the increasing demand for support to rural children education in Liberia is increasingly alarming
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
This update is a highlight of recent activities implemented under the above-mentioned Project covering the month under review (February -May 2019). Activities were held in Bomi, Cape Mount, Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties in Liberia. The report reflects the agreement between GlobalGiving and the Initiative for Democratic Alternatives (IDA)-Liberia for the implementation of the project.
2.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH:
2.1 Completion of tuition payment 2019
2.2. Monitoring and follow up field visits
2.3 Book distribution to schools
2.4 Partnership and stakeholders’ meetings
3.0 ACHIEVEMENTS/ IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT FOR THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW:
Completion of tuition payment 2019
IDA Liberia is working in 5 counties and 11 schools in Liberia , under its Support to Girls Education Project in 2019. The project which is aimed at supporting the educational needs of students in rural Liberia; especially rural children who are faced with financial hardship in those communities. This project has up to 231 children benefiting from a full scholarship , stationery and other learning materials in 2019. This year project has a total of 128 girls and 103 boys.
Out of the 231 sponsored students . IDA-Liberia has made full payment of 80% tuition payment , meeting all our obligations with our partnered schools in 2019.
The remaining 20% will be made available before the second semester ends June 2019 and progress reports are also made available to our program team .
Monitoring and follow up field visit:
During the month under review, our project team visited 8 schools to monitored and follow up on students and hold discussions with school administrations . Between March 23- April 15, 2019. The team met with 120 students and 27 school administrators from the below listed schools.
• Jenneh Public School & Kingdom Builders Community School, Bomi County,
• Madina Public School & Konjah Public School, Sinjah, Grand Cape Mount County,
• Fred-Mart Community School and Lowerhardlanderville Community School in Buchannan, Grand Bassa County,
• Minor Community School and St. Eafa Community School in Kakata, Margibi County.
During the visit, our team also received progress report on each student , which was part of the requirement for acceptance on the program. The team also had 8 meetings with school administrations bringing together over 27 participants at various locations. The meeting was aimed at highlighting lesson learned, success stories and challenges of the program for 2019. IDA-Liberia will follow up with the Ministry of Education and other relevant authorities about some of the challenges and how to adequately address them as the sector responsible for education in Liberia at various partnership monthly educational sector meetings.
Progress report emanating from the schools showed students are doing excellent in schools, students’ participation in class lectures and discussions has increased to 45% as compared to the time we started at 20%. Students involvement in class activities have tremendously increased. This is due to fact that students are using the books that were donated by IDA-Liberia to do assignments and home work. Student dropped out has also significantly dropped this year according to the school administrators, which is all due to the support IDA-Liberia and its partners are providing. Attendance has also increased to 45 % as compared to last year, when schools in those communities had a very low rate of attendance.
Books distribution:
During the months under review, IDA-Liberia project team distributed 380 pieces of assorted elementary school books to 9 schools in Cape Mount, Bomi , Montserrado and Margibi counties, Liberia. IDA-Liberia team made the donation between March 15-April 15, 2019. The below listed schools received books , The remaining 2 schools will received their books in May.
• Konjah Public school- Grand Cape Mount County
• Madina Public school- Grand Cape Mount county
• Kingdom Builders community school –Bomi County
• Jenneh Public school –Bomi County
• Rebecca J. Wilson public school –Montserrado County
• St. Effa community school-Margibi County
• Minor Community School- Margibi County
• ROSODAN School System- Margibi County
• Harriette E. Barlay school system- Margibi County.
Partnership and stakeholders’ meetings:
During the months under review, IDA-Liberia project team participated in 7 partnership and stakeholder meetings. Those meetings brought together over 160 participants representing various institutions working in the same community on various programs. Participants and stakeholders are these meetings included, County and District Education authorities, policy makers and local and community leaders , International NGOs, and local NGOs representatives.
Partnership meetings are aimed at providing updates and progress reports on projects and activities to the line ministates and authorities. And to further strengthen networks and collaboration between, International NGOs, and local NGOs working on the same thematic issues .
These meetings provide organizations the opportunities to share lesson learned, and success stories about their projects and activities in the same community. IDA-Liberia Program Manager ,Alvin Freeman provided updates on our current projects and activities and shared some of the success stories from our program.
4.0 Constraints:
During the months under review ,there were few challenges that the project team encountered. Increased in the cost of transportation for local volunteers, due to the bad roads condition in rural Liberia and the high cost of living in those communities. Team members traveled by motorcycles to reach communities and schools in rural Liberia . The demand from more schools and families in the communities has increased . IDA-Liberia continued to received information from public school authorities in rural communities about low turnout of volunteer teachers in public schools. This is due to little or no incentives for Public school volunteer teachers from the central Government, or community. IDA-Liberia project team begin holding consultations with school authorities to encourage volunteer teachers to continue their services, as look out for other options during the next fiscal school year.
5.0 Recommendations / conclusion:
Thanks, and appreciation to our supporters, donors, GlobalGiving, local communities and schools for the level of commitment shown towards the successful implementation of the project. As the team continued to support our beneficiaries. IDA-Liberia is appealing to supporters and donors for more support as the increasing demand for support to rural children education in Liberia is alarming.
IDA-LIBERIA PROJECT UPDATE: SUPPORT RURAL GIRLS EDUCATION IN LIBERIA Project - #(#33068)
DATE: January 30, 2019
LOCATION: MONROVIA, LIBERIA
Prepared By: IDA-Liberia
Phone: +231(0)886828014
+231(0)776828014
Email: info@ida-lib.org
Website: www.ida-lib.org
INTRODUCTION:
This update is a highlight of recent activities implemented under the above-mentioned Project covering the month under review (November 2018-January 2019). Activities were held in Bomi, Cape Mount, Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties in Liberia. The report reflects the agreement between GlobalGiving and the Initiative for Democratic Alternatives (IDA)-Liberia for the implementation of the project.
2.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH:
2.1 Signing of MOU and Child Safeguarding Standards policy with schools in five counties;
2.2. Commenced the payment of tuition and fees for 231 sponsored students;
2.3 Organized meetings with County and District Education authorities;
2.4 Organizing meetings with parents of sponsored students.
3. 0 ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW:
Program launch: Eleven programs were organized by the project team in different locations. The programs brought together over 100 participants and representatives from 11 schools in 5 counties in Liberia. The programs were aimed at providing update to schools and other partners about the project and signing of partnership agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the child safeguarding policy agreement.
Participants at the program came from across all sections of the community including; County and District Education authorities, parents, community and student leaders. Making a brief statement at the program on behalf of the organization. IDA—Liberia Consultant Alvin Freeman, stressed the significance of signing an MOU which will serve as a framework for implementing the project in 2019. 11 schools’ administrators signed the MOU and Child Safeguarding Standards policy agreement and received other relevant project documents.
The project team provided update on the scholarship program for 2019. The total number of beneficiaries for 2019 scholarship program is two hundred and thirty-one (231) primary school students. Between the ages of (8-16) (1st -6 Grades). (128 Female and 85 Male),( 6 Private schools and 5 Public) Students are from 11 schools in 5 counties in Liberia. During the project IDA-Liberia team also provided symbolic checks to schools representing the total amount of Liberian dollars that each school will be received for 2019 scholarship year.
Symbolic checks were presented to:
• Jenneh Public School & Kingdom Builders Community School, Bomi County,
• Madina Public School & Konjah Public School, Sinjah, Grand Cape Mount County,
• Fred-Mart Community School and Lowerhardlanderville Community School in Buchannan, Grand Bassa County,
• Minor Community School and St. Eafa Community School in Kakata, Margibi County.
School administrations, parents and community members lauded IDA-Liberia efforts for the initiative to support rural education in Liberia.
Scholarship disbursement: IDA-Liberia officially commenced the payment of tuition fees to schools to as a commitment to supporting rural education in Liberia.
Eight schools received their first payments, while three schools are in the process of setting up their bank accounts for the fund to be transferred. As part of the criteria for IDA-Liberia partnership agreement with the schools, schools are to have established bank accounts which would enable them to receive funds; for accountability and transparency purposes.
Staff and stakeholder training: On January 9-11, 2019, IDA-Liberia team conducted training for staff and other partners on child safeguarding standards. The training was aimed at enhancing the skills of staff and partners to better understand the project components and the significance of child safeguarding standards practices with the institutions and making sure other partners adhered to the policy.
Town hall meetings with community stakeholders: During the month under review, the project team also facilitated seven (7) town hall interactive sessions with County and District Education authorities, policy makers and local and community leaders in the project areas. The meetings were intended to provide policy makers and educational stakeholders with an overview of the project. They also sought to tease out what contributions local communities would make towards the project. At the end of the meetings, County and Districts Education authorities pledged their full support and commitment to the project and promised to work with IDA-Liberia project team to monitor schools and students. The meetings brought together over 30 participants and stakeholders from the project communities. As a way of contributing towards the project, County and District Education authorities agreed to work along with IDA-Liberia monitoring team in the schools to help monitor students’ performance in schools and encourage parents not to keep the children away from school for any reasons. They stressed the need for students to always be in schools as attendance was a hallmark to the success of the project.
IDA-Liberia team also met with parents and guidance of the beneficiaries. The aim was to provide parents with a brief overview of their responsibilities as parents during the implementation of the project. During the meetings, the team introduced another component of the project that was critical to the success of the project. The inclusion of an extra curricula activity that would require sponsored students to participate in two hours of community service every calendar school year. Parents and other stakeholders were excited about the inclusion of an extra activity that would train students the culture of volunteerism and giving back to community, since in fact, they were benefiting from such gesture. At the end of the meetings parents also made a recommendation to IDA-Liberia about the sustainability of the project.
Making a brief remark at the event, Madam Marcy Kamara a parent and member of the community expressed thanks to IDA-Liberia for the gesture and recommended to the team to facilitate the establishment of a community revolving loan scheme for venerable parents. Especially rural (women) whose children are benefiting from the program. She noted that with a small economic empowerment initiative for single mothers and widows, it would provide support for families to become self-supportive, self-reliant and be capable of providing their children’s needs (uniform, books, and shoes) in helping to alleviate some of the burden from IDA-Liberia. This will also help in terms of sustainability. She noted that most of the women are single mothers who are unemployed now and would be glad to enroll in such a program that will help keep their children in school.
4.0 Constraints:
Having experienced the implementation of project activities, there were few challenges that the project team encounter during to the period under review. Increased in the cost of transportation for our volunteers, due to the bad roads condition in rural Liberia, Our team had to travel on motorcycles to get to communities and schools.
5.0 Recommendations / conclusion:
Thanks, and appreciation to our supporters, donors, GlobalGiving, local communities and schools for the level of commitment shown towards the successful implementation of the project. As the team continued to support our beneficiaries, IDA-Liberia continue to receive calls and appeal from other communities to extend the project to schools and counties. Rural women and survival of the Ebola epidemic whose children are benefiting from our scholarship program are appealing to IDA-Liberia to start up a small revolving loan scheme to support them,
IDA-LIBERIA PROJECT UPDATE: SEPTEMBER -OCTOBER 2018
SUPPORT 50 RURAL GIRLS IN SCHOOL IN LIBERIA Project - #(#33068)
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
This update is a highlight of recent activities undertaking on the above Project covering the month under review (September -October 2018.) held in Monrovia, Liberia. The report reflects the agreement between GlobalGiving and IDA-Liberia for the implementation of the above-mentioned project:
2.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH:
2.1 Application and eligibility package distributed to selected schools
2.2. Staff training on Child Safeguarding Standards
2.3 Meetings with policy makers, stakeholders and local authorities
2.4 Organized orientations sessions with proposed school administrations
3.0 ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE MONTH UNDER REVIEW:
The initiative for Democratic Alternatives IDA-Liberia Project Team, distributed over 125 application and eligibility packages to five selected schools in Liberia. Proposed schools included; Golodee Public School, Rebecca J. Wilson Elementary School, ROSODAN School System, Harriet E. Bailey Memorial United Methodist High School and Kpanay Town Public School. These schools are in five counties in Liberia namely; Bassa, Margibi, Montserrado, Bomi and Capemount. The aim of this exercise was to provide adequate information to eligible and prospective students who would like to benefit from the 2018-2019 scholarship tagged “Enroll and Stay in School”
Information provided to the various schools included; guidelines for acceptance into the program, rules and regulation of participating schools, obligations of school administration, application form, eligibility and responsibilities of students. A total of twenty-five packages were distributed to each school.
IDA-Liberia management team also decided to organize a two days staff capacity development training. The training will be focused on enhancing the skills and capacities of staff and project team about the significance of child safeguarding standards. The training will be aimed at developing project implementation documents on monitoring and evaluation and other policies and regulations that will helped in adequately undertaking the project.
Under the period in review. IDA-Liberia project team also organized five meetings and awareness sessions with policy makers, local leaders and community leaders in the project areas. The meetings and awareness sessions brought together over 45 policy makers and leaders to provide update on our program and provide a framework for our work in those respective counties. Policy makers and local leaders expressed willingness to work with IDA-Liberia project team. The participants expressed commitment to support education and children education in Liberia. IDA-Liberia team provided an overview about the 2018-2019 scholarship program, detail expectations of the policy makers and leaders.
During the period in review. Our project team also organized five orientation sessions with the proposed school administrations. The meeting was organized to provide a detail information about the implementation of the program. The expectations and duties of each school. What will be included in the MOU and seek to understand some of the issues rural school administrations are faced with. School administrators and teachers expressed willingness to work with IDA-Liberia in improving the children’s education in Liberia.
4.0 Constraints:
Having experience implementation of project activities, there was no major constraint for the project activities in Liberia.
5.0 Recommendations / conclusion:
Thanks, and appreciation to our supporters, GlobalGiving and our project staff for the level of commitment shown for the successful implementation of the activities during the month in review. As the team continued to work with beneficiaries and local communities IDA-Liberia is beginning to receive numerous calls and appeal from the other communities to extend the project to their cities and communties
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