The Informer (Monrovia)
17 June 2009
At least 250 students attending the Saint Augustus Community School on Bushrod Island went home yesterday jubilating after Cellcom, the country's "Number One" GSM Company identified with them in commemoration of the Day of the African Child.
Each of the students attending the school was given a new book bag containing copy books, pencils, an eraser and textbooks. Several packs of chalk were also given to the school to be used to teach the students.
The Saint Augustus Community School is situated in the Colonel West Community of the Borough of New Kru Town on the Bushrod Island.
It runs from pre-nursery to 6th grade, and is in dire need of significant assistance (like the one provided by Cellcom) if the country's future leaders there must acquire quality education.
Cellcom's Public Relations Officer T-Max Jlateh said the company was delighted to celebrate the historic day with children of the poor, children whose parents cannot afford to send them to bigger and expensive schools.
He said it was the right of every Liberian child to be in school, but beyond that, they need to be fully supported in other for them to achieve the purpose for which they are sent to school.
Summarizing the story of the Soweto Uprising from which June 16, was set aside to be observed annually as the Day of the African Child, Mr. Jlateh said the children of Soweto (in South Africa) went out into the streets to demonstrate for their rights for education and many of them were killed.
"As Africa observed this day, Cellcom, the Number one cell phone company in Liberia has come to identify with you," Mr. Jlateh told the students who burst into jubilation when told that each of them would take home a new book bag.
"Cellcom has decided to celebrate this year's Day of the African Child with Saint Augustus School a school of the poor, people whom are way down there," he continued.
"Cellcom has come to help you; Cellcom says from today to go on you will not hold your copy books in your hand; the money your parents use to buy you copy books, book bags, pencils and eraser will now be used to do other things for you."
Mr. Jlateh then advised the students to take good care of the package, study their lessons, respect their parents and teachers and love one another, if they must attract more of such assistance from Cellcom.
Cellcom's deputy marketing manager Mrs. Batty Flahn, who distributed the book bags among the students, said the Company is aware that the donation comes few days ahead of vacation.
She urged them to take them home give them to their parents for safekeeping so that they would use them on the first day when the next term of school begins in September.
"We want you to use them first in the next school year, because with Cellcom..." the students bellowed along with her "... you are always 'Number One'."
Mrs. Flahn said "no one asked Cellcom to identify with the school, but we feel that you deserve our assistance, and that's why we are here identifying with you today."
Making a brief remark, the elated vice principal for administration of the school, Lester Blackmomd, said he was happy because "Cellcom has come to identify with us."
He said the school was facing several challenges, and he hoped that Cellcom would go back with other assistance.
He also appealed to humanitarians and education-related organizations to extend helping hands to the school.
Principal Augustus Seongbae earlier noted that Cellcom's support to the school would warrant the institution to be called the 'Cellcom Community School in Liberia'.
The Saint Augustus Community School indeed faces several challenges which need to be addressed to make the institution a much better learning facility.
As the rains have come, the entire campus is flooded, and more rainfall may cause the classrooms to flood. Students, many at tender ages of four, are threatened by the rising flood waters. Several of them roll up their uniform skirts/dresses and trousers above knees to reach campus.
The institution lacks a hand pump or pipe borne water; it has a latrine that needs much improvement, especially based on the ages of the students in the school.
The 10 teachers there are paid extremely low salaries; many of them are sacrificing as the absence of adequate teaching facilities remain a major challenge.
Several appeals by the school, including to government officials and lawmakers in the community, have fallen on death ears, "but we will continue to render our services to humanity," vice principal Blackmond told this writer in an interview; D. Kaihenneh Sengbeh
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