A local non-governmental organization, GEM-LIBERIA, has embarked on a campaign galvanizing financial support to underwrite the enrollment cost of at least 100 underprivileged girls for the 2020/2021 school year.
GEM-LIBERIA, established in 2005, is an advocacy and empowerment group primarily engage in enhancing the human capacity development of women and girls on Friday, February 12, launched what it titled, “Take A Girl To School L$1,000 Scholarship Drive.”
The scholarship campaign was officially launched by Amb. Christine Brooks-Jarret at the Kebbah Town Hall in Barnesville where she urged Liberians to join the efforts in giving academic opportunity to girls.
She expressed hope over the prospect of the initiative and therefore, pledged to fund the scholarship of five underprivileged Girls.
According to GEM-LIBERIA, the rationale behind the “Take A Girl To School Scholarship Fund Drive” is to create new opportunities and possible solution for underprivileged girls, whom they claimed can barely afford tuition to access education this academic year.
Since its establishment, GEM-LIBERIA has catered for scores of underprivileged women and girls.
The Chief Executive Officer of the MacDella Cooper Foundation serving as guest speaker, applauded the Executive Director of GEM- LIBERIA for undertaking what she described as a monumental initiative for girls’ empowerment.
Amb. MacDella Cooper who is leading the Movement for One Liberia (MOL) emphasized the need for more of such initiatives, something she indicated will serve as an impetus for lifting girls’ hope regardless their status or condition in the society.
Amb. Cooper who pledged her fullest cooperation and commitment to the scholarship campaign added that her institution will rally additional support for the initiative with the assurance that it does not just end with this school year.
Under GEM-Liberia’s Girl Education Movement Program, in 2017, GEM Liberia, embarked on providing uniforms, shoes and book bags to the campaign targeting entirely girls in the primary academic category.
The initiative was part of efforts to maintain girls in school,” GEM-LIBERIA Executive Director, Madam Davidetta Togba-Cassell expressed.
Executive Director Togba-Cassell said, “In support of this program goal, and how we have realized that there are more girls out of school during regular school hours, the aim is to raise and equip more girls for national competitiveness.”
Madam Togba-Cassell put the academic/tuition cost of each girl at L$15,000 excluding uniforms costs and extended special commendations to those she regarded as their valuable supporters.