Monrovia — Mr. Johnny B. White, Co-founder of the BEATHA Foundation, has pledged that the foundation will continue to advocate for and work towards improving the quality of education for every child in Liberia.
Mr. White expressed his heartbreak over the struggles of Liberian children to acquire education in unfriendly environments, where they often sit on the floor or bricks to learn. "There should be no reason for kids to struggle for education. This is why our foundation stands ready to reach out to our struggling students and help them get an education," he said.
The BEATHA Foundation, a registered non-profit organization, is dedicated to developing a productive society through comprehensive programs that include educational support, mentoring, vocational skills development, and community outreach interventions. The foundation aims to strengthen the capacity of women and children in Liberia.
During the official launch of the foundation, Mr. White announced the initiation of a Back-to-School Initiative for the next academic year. This initiative will provide backpacks containing school materials and other benefits to 25 students, who will be nominated randomly and vetted. However, he emphasized that the foundation's goal is to teach students self-sufficiency, not to provide continual support.
Mr. White co-founded the foundation with his wife, Mrs. Joan Tally-White. They named the foundation in honor of their mothers--BEAtrice (Joan's mother) and AlberTHA (Johnny's mother)--thus, BEATHA.
Currently, the BEATHA Foundation is funded by the Whites. Mr. White disclosed that they have reached out to other Liberians who share their vision of providing quality education for every child and empowering mothers.
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Although the foundation has been actively working with students and schools, Mr. White officially declared it launched, coinciding with the celebration of the Day of the African Child, which is annually celebrated on June 16.
Mrs. Ciata Stevens-d'Almeida, a board member of the foundation, highlighted the significance of the Day of the African Child. She reminded the audience of the courage of thousands of African students in Soweto, South Africa, who protested against the poor quality of education on June 16, 1976. The Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), established the Day of the African Child in 1991 to honor their memory.
The BEATHA Foundation's celebration aimed to empower the younger generation by providing key messages through meaningful discussions and educational activities. These activities aimed to raise awareness of issues affecting children worldwide and to foster a sense of global citizenship among them. The event also officially introduced the foundation and set the tone for implementing programs that align with its vision.
The program highlighted the importance of quality education and gathered input from a diverse range of stakeholders for implementing activities and projects for the BEATHA Foundation. Attendees included educators, civil society actors, members of international organizations, members of the Legislature, and students from eight primary and secondary schools in the Garnerville School District, Montserrado County.
