Education
Source: Daily Observer
A women's advocacy group, Hope for Women and Girls Incorporated (HFWNC), recently launched its girls'educational empowerment project to enhance girls' education.
The Chief Executive Officer of HWFNC, Alfred P. K. Cassell, said the situation of adolescent girls and street children in Liberia and around the world continues to worsen on a daily basis, thus leading to their inability to enter or be retained in school.
"This has grave consequences, including the rise in prostitution, early marriages and teenage pregnancies," Mr. Cassell said.
He added that the situation also leads to the displacement of many young ladies causing them to loiter on street corners, which seriously harms society.
Cassell said there is a need for serious humanitarian assistance to beef up government's effort to empower destitute girls.
"In this pilot phase that begins at the beginning of next academic calendar, Girls Education Empowerment (GEEP) will provide its fulltime scholarship and financial aid to adolescent girls from the densely populated slum community of West Point as well as to other parts of the country," Cassell said.
He said GEEP will adopt a transparent evaluation mechanism to determine that beneficiaries are qualified or deserving of scholarship or financial aid, saying, "All the requirements to be qualified for the scholarship or financial aid will be published in leaflets and posted in targeted communities."
He projects a cost of US$25,000 for beneficiary, administrative and operation as well as monitoring and evaluation purposes.
The occasion was held in the Township of West Point where a young lady leader, Maima Korluby, expressed gratitude for the initiative.
She said there are several problems confronting teenage girls and women in the country which are responsible for the increase in the rate of teenage pregnancy.
For her part, Decontee Wessely, 17, expressed happiness and noted, "God has finally answered our payers by bringing this project to us."
According to her, youth who will benefit from the project will also have access to education through HWFNC's humanitarian initiative.
Over 300 people including adolescent girls attended the GEEP launch at a football field in West Point.
The HFWNC is a women and children's rights organization that gives hope to women and children through education and other programs of benefit.
It involves advocacy for the rights of the world's most neglected and abused persons, and helping them build their capacity through educational supports and counselling.
By David S. Menjor