A Liberian-owned organization, Save The Future Generation Foundation, is passionate about helping less-fortunate children out of school to enroll in school and secure a better future for themselves.
The Foundation is currently sponsoring 35 students of the elementary division (Grade 1 - Grade 6) at the Special Project Public School in Stephen A. Tolbert Estate, Gardnersville - a suburb of Monrovia, providing fees, uniforms and other supplies.
Chief Executive Officer Pete Johnson, says beneficiaries are required to maintain a yearly average of 95.7%, B Grade Point, and be a good pillar in their communities and the society generally.
A self-initiative, Mr. Johnson told The New Dawn in an interview on Thursday, June 16, 2022, which coincided with the observance of the Day of the African Child, that most Liberian children are not in school because their parents cannot afford financially to send them to school.
He hailed Liberian musician Bucky Raw, for passionately donating US$1,000 to the Foundation that enabled it to lend helping hands to these less-fortunate kids, which says only shows the passion that Bucky has for Liberia.
He notes that most of the children he meets in the streets daily are playing the role of breadwinners, selling just about anything to support their unemployed parents.
"Most of the children will be left behind, and by doing this, we are taking away from ourselves", he laments.
He returned to Liberia in June 2020 from the United States, where he and his parents fled during the 1990 rebel invasion of Liberia.
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His parents are Ms. Priscilla Z. Samolah and Mr. Peter G. Johnson. Mr. Johnson worked as a technician for the former VOA Omega Tower in Paynesville, outside Monrovia.
"I love my country. When I returned, I was actually at my aunt's place and I saw that most of the children are selling, rather than being in school."
He says this is about the mindset of many Liberians, who don't see educating their little girls and boys as a priority, adding "The mindset has to change."
However, despite having a passion to do more, Mr. Johnson doesn't have funds to reach out to as many less-fortunate children in communities across Liberia as he would want to. Every little cent that he has been spending strictly comes from his pocket.
But this is not deterring him from helping less-fortunate children. For the coming academic year 2022/23, he is targeting 200 children for enrollment in schools despite lack of assistance.
"I have engaged people in the international community", he says, and reveals, "I just submitted documents to Gender Ministry, UNICEF and USAID. I'm hoping that they would help."
