By Precious D. Freeman
A non-profit organization called “One Bench at a Time,” (OBTL’s) has relaunched its bench project intended to reduce the academic embarrassment students of rural schools face in Liberia.
The organization was founded in 2011, with a mission to ensure that kids of school-going ages have access to benches, school supplies, and other classroom equipment that will lead to educational successes in towns and villages throughout rural Liberia.
Serving as the guest speaker at OBTL’s relaunching and fundraising program held in Monrovia yesterday, Lofa County District 5 Representative, Augustine B. Chiewolo, revealed that education is not a privilege but a fundamental human right that should be respected and promoted by all.
According to him, one of the most fundamental pillars for a society is the availability of quality education for all.
Speaking further, Rep. Chiewolo stated that the lack of proper infrastructure, including classrooms, textbooks, and learning materials, hampers the delivery of quality education in Liberia.
According to him, many students suffer from overcrowded classrooms, sitting on bare floors, insufficient resources, all hindering effective teaching and learning.
He appreciated the organization for their thoughtful decision in creating the organization for the benefits of Liberian students; he also maintained that he is humble to be part of the occasion.
“It is education that will lap the potential of our people and pave the way for better future for the incoming generation; however, we should also know that conducive learning environment is the right of our children under the privilege of education,” he said.
Speaking on the theme: “Providing Conducive Learning Environment to Encourage our kids to see the opportunity to go to school,” Rep. Chiewolo asserted that providing a decent learning environment for the students will also encourage them to go to school.
He added that providing an opportunity to students to sit comfortably in their classrooms is a good one, because those kids are the future leaders.
He also suggested that providing benches only should not be all, but to also provide trained and qualified teachers, resources, equipment and materials that will help to take all the problems.
“It’s just one step, but we can also go beyond and attach capacity building to it so that the teachers can stand to provide effective learning materials to the students,” he said.
Speaking further, the Co-founder of One Bench at A Time, Madam Menekeh P. Giddings, explained that they are expected to raise US$40,000 to support the training of young people who want to be trained as teachers, and to also enable a conducive learning environment for the students in the rural areas.
She explained that the organization was founded as the result of a visit to rural Liberia by her, to her home village of Yarpauah town in Lofa County.
OBTL’s inaugural donation of benches was in Yarpauah Town, Lofa County, where 25 benches produced locally by carpenters were purchased and donated to the Yarpauah Community School.
Additional 30 benches were donated to two schools in Salayea district, namely: Flomo Respect Memorial School in Yarpauah and the Gbangway Public School in Gbangway.
These donations targeted 275 students, an average of five students per bench.
Communities do benefit from the benches as they can be used for school and non-school activities, including PTA and general town meetings.
she was moved to make her initial contribution for the production of school desks in order to add value to kids she believed are future leaders of her native land, Liberia.
“I was deeply worried and shocked when I heard on online radios and reading on social media how school-going kids are seated on bare floors and bricks made of clay mud just to acquire an education,” she said.
She appreciated her partner “Teach for Liberia”, for their supports they have rendered to them over the years.
