The Last 500 Meters

May 2, 2014

As my departure from Liberia grows nearer, I feel like I am in a rowing contest, exhausted but still with 500 meters to go. Your body wants to quit and your mind says “good job”, but the coxswain is yelling at you to “Pull”, the race is not over. The finish line is the continuation of my major who are projects, literacy for people of Sinyea town, HIV/AIDS prevention and Family Planning, and Dr. Nick’s.

The mentoring project is a success beyond anyone’s dreams. Over 140 Sinyea primary school students have come in contact with 40 Cuttington University mentors. Most of the Sinyea students are from homes with illiterate parents who are unaware of the failed education their children are receiving, but who eager to learn and prove themselves to their university mentors. This success is only skin deep. There are deeper issues of simply not having any reading materials at home or school to improve reading skills and parents unable to negotiate the written world. Unfortunately, the student group who inspired the mentoring project (DES-N), seems to be unable to get itself together and is unlikely to undertake any other major projects without reorganizing itself.

A former Peace Corps Volunteer and now a USAID teacher at Cuttington coupled with gift from an American donor are helping to create a library to be administered by the town’s Wolekemah Women’s Organization in Sinyea Town. The books are mainly for primary-aged children and are excellent in that they are written by Africans and deal with their problems, such as, resolving animosities, death of a parent, misunderstanding, disappointment, gender bias, and HIV/AIDS/Child Exploitation. It is hard warming to see how both children and adults are reacting to our initial tests. Several Cuttington students have already asked to assist students and parents in the reading of these books and to act as human dictionaries.

To assist illiterate parents, a program is being established by former university student mentors to act as “Advocates” for illiterate parents. Their role is to assist parents understand the written world of their children’s school, teach how to write your name and address, and help in filling out forms, applications, etc.  This is part of obtaining N.G.O. status for the Wolekekmah Women’s Organization who are a organizing force and whose long-term goals are to build a literacy center for women.

The HIV/AIDS/Family Planning project is off to a great start. A group has Cuttington students have already formed a university accredited program and are active in acquiring funds and condoms on their own. Who would have known demonstrating condoms to my Immunology students would spark such a successful effort?

“Dr. Nick’s” is built and operating. How create a sophisticated business to be run by a single mother with 11 dependent children and who have survived by selling donuts for the past six years to understand accounting, marketing, and cost control is more than enough to keep one awake at nights. But when you are dealing with people who are smart, dedicated, survived wars and hunger, you have a chance. But the step is a big one.

I can sense the finish line. I just hope I have enough within me to cross it. Besides all that, it is HOT and the bugs are making a meal of me.