The moment I set foot in Liberia was one of intense joy. My excitement at the prospect of taking first steps to help change my little corner of the world for the better made me feel like opening night on a Broadway production - lots of anxiety but also high hopes.
The first workshop location was Mamalyn Elementary School. Seventeen students from 7 – 13 years of age were chosen randomly in the school to take part in our workshop using practice and theory to develop communication, listening and problem-solving skills.
This community being typical of current post-conflict Liberia, many children could afford only one meal a day. Providing both breakfast and lunch during the program ensured that the children would have a greater attention span and be incentivized to perform their activities to a higher standard.
We concentrated on hidden talent exposure, gender roles, conflict resolution, critical thinking, empathy training, teamwork, and social ethics (blending modern and traditional African). The students enjoyed the workshop and, like previous programs, asked for more workshops at their school to help uplift other students with this new mindset and tool-set.
Most children in Liberia today can’t attend school because their parents cannot afford to pay their tuition, which is typically between $100 - $200 per year. Often, it comes down to a cruel choice for a parent between food on the table or making the monthly school payment.