ALFALIT-LIBERIA In Dire Need For Financial Assistance -Acting Director Seeks Aid from Gov’t, Partners

By Alex Yomah
A Faith-based organization dubbed ‘Alfalit-Liberia’ is at the verge of discontinuing the adult literacy program due to the lack of sponsor as of 2020. Authorities have implored requisite humanitarian institutions including the Ministry of Education through the Government of Liberia to join forces to continue the adult literacy program.
Alfalit International Liberia (Alfalit-Liberia) is a faith-based educational charity that empowers youths and adults who might have missed out on early education. In 2006, Alfalit-Liberia established to offer literacy services to Liberians who lack basic capacity. Since its establishment, Alfalit-Liberia has offered literacy classes in all 15 counties of Liberia.
Speaking at the Alfalit 13th graduation program on Tuesday at Paynesville City Hall, Alfalit Acting Executive Director, Rev. Jerome C. Williams, revealed that his institution is facing financial crisis that needs urgent attention before 2020.
Rev. Williams acknowledged in the midst of partners and representatives from the Ministry of Education who have interest and oversight in literacy education that Alfalit has no financial commitment to continue the literacy program for the upcoming circle.
“I want to say to our partners as we close 2019 circle, we have financial challenges. As we close this year, we do not have any commitment as far as we are concerned,” Rev. Williams noted.
“I am saying this in the presence of the Representative of the Ministry of Education and our partners, and this is intended to ask for your support in 2020. In 2020, we are looking for grant to continue the school,” he said.
According to him, Alfalit has roughly 4,200 students and most of them will be enrolling next year and are therefore asking because they do not want to dash the hopes of mothers, sisters and youths who are taking part in the program.
“So, I am using the medium to call on national government to join forces to continue this adult literacy and skills training program so that even in the absence of donor support, Alfalit can still move on,” Alfalit Acting Director made a passionate plea to sustain the literacy program.
Meanwhile, Alfalit Montserrado circle graduated 1491 students in various trainings including tailoring, writing skills, reading skills and most importantly arithmetic for which representatives of each department showcased their skills during the graduation ceremony.
Also speaking at the occasion as a guest-speaker was Sister Mary Laurence Browne, one of Liberia’s venerated Educators in Liberia.
Sister Laurence Browne eulogized the 13th graduates of the Alfalit literacy program –while encouraging the graduates not to give-up in learning added, “It is not too late to Learn”.
In Liberia, there is a syndrome of bullying older folks attempting to go to school that often preclude adults from learning and encourage the adults not to be deterred by that.
She expressed gratitude that women are mustering the courage to take advantage of the adult literacy education program-evidenced by the 1491 graduates.
Madam Browne explained a tale that affected an illiterate woman who got married to an literate man and he used his wife’s challenge to have an extra affairs to his wife’s friend before her eyes through writings.
According to her, because the literate husband knew his wife was not literate, he and his wife often used to communicate in her presence on papers every time they met in her presence.
Apparently, she had explained her experience to a friend and was encouraged to take advantage of an adult literacy program. She informed her husband her interest but he rejected her.
The story said the woman did not talk back to her husband neither did she insult or say harsh words back to him. Although her husband said she should attend the school, but attended the school secretly for nearly a year and graduated.
Sister Mary Laurence Brown indicated that unfortunately for her husband, she learnt how to read well from the adult literacy program and one day, she read all of the loving exchanges between her husband and her best friend. One very day, she called her husband while joking with her husband and started to read all the exchanges between her husband and her best friend.
Interestingly, according to tale, her husband instead of getting irritated, he jubilated and implored for pardon. He told his wife not to confront her and assured her that he will not cheat on her anymore now that his wife is an educated woman, amidst hands of applause.