Projects
More than Me Scholarships for Liberian Children
'All the children I meet, when I ask them what they want most – they say, "I want to learn. I want to go to school. I want an education."' - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Our goal is to provide 500 Liberian children with school scholarships. We are currently established in West Point, a shantytown in Monrovia, Liberia's capital. This area has the highest concentration of children who are not enrolled in school.
61% of Liberian children are not attending school. The average annual income in Liberia is USD180. School fees alone for one child average around USD200, which makes it close to impossible for the average Liberian family to send their children to school.
The low numbers of school enrollment are largely a consequence of a 14-year bloody civil war which concluded in 2003. This put Liberia as the 3rd poorest country in the world, based on average annual income and life expectancy. Families were running for their lives, gathering in mobile refugee camps. Schools were destroyed and teachers were killed.
However, Liberia has come a long way since the end of the war. Progress can be seen in the building of schools and roads, the restoration of electricity and clean water systems, and though the stablization of government. Liberia is currently headed by Ellen Johnson, the first woman to hold presidential office in Africa.
Liberia has strong historical ties to the USA. For further reading on Liberia's connection to the states, her general history, the civil war, etc. please visit US State Department: Liberia or Wikipedia: Liberia
A 2009 article on education in Liberia: Liberia's first post-war generation starts primary school
West Point, an area of Monrovia that More than Me Foundation works in: Liberia removing barriers to girls' education
