HELP LIBERIA FOUNDATION

HLF School Holds Fifth Closing Program

Posted by Help Liberia Foundation on July 20, 2010

Our school in Liberia, Help Liberia Foundation Community School, held its fifth year-end program on Sunday, 11 July 2010.

Held in the Korduah Community in the City of Buchanan where the school is located, the program, which was the fifth of its kind since the school started in 2005, brought together staff, students, parents and guardians of the school, as well as residents of the community.

An important part of the year-end occasion was the graduation ceremony of the pre-grade pupils. Graduating and receiving certificates from the pre-grade department were thirteen children, comprising five boys and eight girls. They will begin their first primary-level class in September.

The thirteen graduates of the Pre-grade Department posing with their certificates

Speaking as the keynote speaker at the program was Madam Elizabeth Barwon, a prominent citizen and resident of Buchanan. She spoke on the topic: “The Importance of Education in Nation-Building.” In her address, she outlined the importance of education and encouraged everyone to take the education of the youth of Liberia – the leaders of tomorrow – very seriously.

At the end of her speech, Madam Barwon promised to sponsor one of the children. She also pledged five desks to the school, which was another welcomed gesture, as most of the desks fixed in 2007, which were paid for by Mr. David Turner, one of our sponsors, have been damaged or worn-out, creating a great need to fix new ones before the start of the new school year in September. We are grateful to Madam Barwon for accepting to serve as the keynote speaker, for promising to sponsor a child and for pledging five desks.

Madam Elizabeth Barwon, the keynote speaking, speaking at the program

We also wish to express profound gratitude to all the sponsors, staff, students, parents and volunteers of the school. We were able to successfully complete the 2009/2010 academic year because of their love and support and commitment to the work we are doing together to help the disadvantaged children of Liberia.

As usual, we have received from the children year-end letters, photos and promotion statements that will be sent to all the sponsors.

Meanwhile, it’s worth mentioning here that there are a lot of children who are not in school in the community either because their parents are poor, unemployed or simply because they have no dependable person to cater to their needs. We are therefore appealing to all individuals of good will to assist these children by helping them to go to school.

As we start the 2010/2011 school year in September , we look forward to working with all of our stakeholders in making the new school year even better than the last one.

The graduates matching into the hall before the start of the program

Godgift King, a student of the Pre-grade Department, doing a recitation

The school choir rendering a selection during the program

Melvine Nimely, a kid of the Pre-grade Department, naming the 15 counties of Liberia, along with their capital cities

A cross-section of the students during the program

A partial view of parents and staff during the program

Some of the staff posing at the end of the program