Monrovia – Liberian international track athlete based in the United States of America, Bill Rogers, says despite the sorrow that his country went through during the devastating period of the Ebola virus, there is still hope for the young people in Liberia.
Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]
Four years after returning to his native home, Rogers accompanied by Sherrie Gearheart, former Miss United Nation 2015 and founder of Live Out Loud Charity and Mollyn Giselle Jarbo former Miss Liberia United States 2013-2014 hit the ground of the Robert International Airport in Harbel, Margibi County.
Rogers’ visit, among other things, will honor a five-kilometer peace run and fun walk organized by his organization the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation (BRYF) and is slated for the 25 of July.
The five-kilometer peace run and fun walk he says will highlight the effect of depression on young people and the promotion of peace and tranquility during and after the October 10 general election.
“I am here to see some of those relatives who are traumatized and depressed in this country. That is why I have Miss Sherrie and we will be talking to them,” he told newsmen at the RIA late Friday evening.
“We are here for transformation, we are here to inspire the young people in a positive way and we just want to do something to make the children of Liberia smiles”
In early April of this year, Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Francis Katteh disclosed that due to lack of post-war counseling and the effects of the Ebola Virus Disease; out of the estimated four million plus population; over one million depressive people are living in Liberia.
Sherrie Gearheart who came to Liberia in 2015 when she was serving as Miss United Nation visited many schools, educating students about the effect of depression.
During one of her visits paid at the Len Millar High School in Sinkor, while telling a gathering of students about preventing suicide; she pointed at the loss of smiles on the faces of the children she was talking to.
“When I look at you, I can’t see the smile on your faces. Now I want you to smile, will you smile for me,” she insisted on her visit to Liberia in 2015.
Fulfilling her promise to come back to Liberia, Gearheart said with the BRYF she is happy to be in Liberia, adding that she looks forward to moving in the endeavor with youth empowerment.
Gearheart added: “I am looking forward to speaking with different government officials once again to further my research in the movement in helping those dealing with depression and as well as helping those dealing with suicide”.
“We now know that over one million Liberians fight depression with the population of four million and in order to fight depression you need to have two things; one is the positive outlet and the other is the support groups”.
“And Bill Rogers Youth Foundation is providing the positive outlet through the five-kilometer run. And our goal is to start the mentoring in elementary schools and walk our way up so that students can start to resolve issue and start opening out to one and another”, she said
Also speaking, the former Miss Liberia USA 2013-2014 Mollyn Giselle Jarbo says she is glad to be back at home, especially to the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation.
Being a former Miss Liberia USA; Jarbo also runs an organization called “Rise for Africa Incorporated”.
She said: “So, I really came down not only to support Bill Rogers Youth Foundation but also to do a two days summer camp for 24 kids.”
“I am going to be mentoring them and empowering them. “
“Those are kids I am going to be talking to every single day is to show them the importance of education and the support to have self-confidence and you know; just to my support to Liberia because of this my country,” she said.
After the arrival of Bill, Gearheart, and Jarbo; Miss Universe, Hawa Kamara, Miss Africa, Rebecca Asamoah and Victor Mitchell Nagbe, Liberia’s first world middle weight kickboxing champion will also be coming at a later date.
Following the peace run and fun walk, a grand dinner at the Bella Cassa Hotel will be held followed by the awarding of winners with medals and peace messages from the various embassies near Monrovia will be given.
Also, corporate institutions, the government, civil society groupings, religious institutions, political parties and the student community will be in attendance to witness the climax of the occasion.
At the Grand Dinner; Liberia’s first world middle Wight kickboxing champion will also present his championship to the President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.