The Rural Liberia Community Empowerment Program (RLCEP) has begun awareness of its activities in Zordee Town in Klay District, Bomi County.
Speaking at program held at the Zordee Public School over the weekend, the Principal of Zordee Public, Juma Siaffa, expressed gratitude to RLCEP for choosing Bomi County for this all important organization that will bring relief to the disadvantaged and vulnerable youths.
She assured the RLCEP of her full support in whatever way she can to make the program a success
Giving an overview of the program, Rural Liberia Community Empowerment Program’s Country Director, Linda Nyanator, narrated that RLCEP was founded by a young Liberian named David G. Banto who hailed from Gbarzohn Statutory District in Grand Gedeh County and resides in the United States of America.
She said Mr. Banto’s vision is to help the underprivileged, disadvantaged and vulnerable youths, not only in Bomi but in other counties as well and explained that when the organization was first founded, it was called Rural Liberia Children Program but later changed to Rural Liberia Community Empowerment Program in 2008 to include other components that will other people.
The RLCEP Country Director called on those in attendence to see the program as their own and help to extend the awareness to other communities adding that when the program is finally launched, everyone will feel the impacts.
Speaking on issues confronting youths in the various communities, the Officer In -Charge at the Zordee Clinic, Musu Washington, said girls are the most vulnerable in every aspects of violence recollecting issues of rape, unwanted pregnancy and other forms of violence meted aganist them which have increased at an alarming rate and need to be addressed.
Madam Washington used the occasion to call on parents, and guidance to monitor their children at all times to avoid them from following people or friends who are engaged in acts that will destroy their future.
She frowned on parents who compromised rape and other cases because of money or family connections forgetting about the damage done to the future of their child.
For his part, the Vice Principal for Administration of Zordee Public School, Alfred Massaquoi, expressed thanks and appreciation to the founder of RLCERP, David G. Banto, for his farsightedness to form the organization.
He named challenges in several schools in and around the Zordee Community as shortage of teachers making it hard for the students; the lack of high school in the communities, as a result, students graduating from elementary or junior high divisions remain in the village because they have nowhere to go in continuation of their education.