Monrovia – In an effort to strengthen education in Liberia, a young American humanitarian is helping expand access to learning opportunities for dozens of students through an annual scholarship initiative aimed at easing financial barriers and empowering young people in the Country.
Brooke Gates, founder of The Brooke Gates Project, is currently supporting 51 students enrolled in nine schools across Liberia through a tuition scholarship program designed to help families struggling to keep their children in school.
Beyond financial assistance, the initiative also promotes leadership development through the “Brooke Gates Youth Forum,” a monthly virtual platform that engages students in discussions focused on leadership, education, personal growth and youth empowerment.
The program seeks to complement the government of Liberia’s efforts to strengthen its education sector by helping vulnerable students remain in school while preparing them to become future leaders.
Gates said her commitment to supporting children in Liberia was inspired by the humanitarian work of her mother, Veleta Jenkins, whose organization has spent years supporting educational development in the country.
“In February 2024, I traveled with my mother to Liberia for the first time,” Gates said. “Since 2019, her humanitarian work has inspired me to think beyond myself and help others.”
Her mother’s nonprofit, Library for Africa, has established libraries and computer laboratories in several schools across Liberia, creating improved learning opportunities for students.
During her visit, Gates said she met several teenage girls at a local school who shared their struggles with attending classes regularly because their parents could not afford their tuition and other educational expenses.
The encounter, she said, became a turning point. “Without hesitation, I told them I would help,” Gates said.
Motivated by that experience, Gates founded The Brooke Gates Project four months after returning to the United States of America.
She revealed that the initiative was launched using funds from her personal college savings, earned through part-time work, along with donations from supporters who believed in her vision of helping disadvantaged children gain access to quality education.
Since its establishment, the project has expanded its reach, supporting students across Liberia while promoting mentorship and educational advocacy.
Gates reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring scholarship recipients receive consistent support throughout their academic journeys in Liberia.
To sustain and expand the program, the organization hosts annual “Walk for Scholars” fundraising events to support students during the 2026-27 academic years and beyond.
“I have made new friends in Liberia, and I am going to continue to support them so they can have the opportunity to succeed,” she said.
She is calling on individuals, institutions and corporate partners to support the initiative through donations and strategic partnerships.
A resident of Englewood, Ohio Gates is a college freshman who plans to study international law, with a focus on global advocacy and social justice.
The young philanthropist welcome help to support her efforts by kindly making a donation to help Liberian students, to learn more about “The Brooke Gates Project”
Visit: www.thebrookegatesproject.com and the QR code
Education advocates have praised initiatives such as The Brooke Gates Project as vital interventions that help bridge gaps in Liberia’s educational system and provide opportunities for students who might otherwise be forced out of school because of financial hardship.
