Monrovia – Business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva, widely known as Jeety, has taken a decisive step toward the revival of the historic Suehn Industrial Academy with a major donation of three million Liberian dollars in building materials intended to launch the reconstruction of the school, which has remained largely abandoned since the end of Liberia’s fourteen year civil war.
The commitment was formally announced during the Suehn Legacy Circle Fundraising Gala held at Monrovia City Hall on January 9, 2026, an event that drew together senior government officials, education stakeholders, alumni, faith leaders, and members of the business community united by a shared determination to restore one of Liberia’s most respected educational institutions.
Suehn Industrial Academy was founded in 1912 through the vision and financial backing of entrepreneurs Solomon Hill and June Moore of the Hill and Moore Trading Company and for decades served as a cornerstone of Liberia’s education system.
The institution earned a national reputation for discipline, character formation, and academic excellence, producing generations of leaders who later played influential roles in public service and national life, including former Senate President Pro Tempore Charles Walker Brumskine and former Chief Justice Frances Johnson Morris.
The prolonged civil conflict left the campus severely damaged and deserted, resulting not only in the collapse of physical infrastructure but also in the interruption of a legacy that once shaped Liberia’s intellectual and moral foundation. Organizers of the restoration effort have made it clear that their objective is to return the academy to full educational operation rather than maintain it merely as a symbol of the past.
In his keynote address at the gala, Sachdeva said his decision to support the reconstruction of Suehn Industrial Academy was guided by his firm belief that education remains the most effective instrument for national renewal and sustainable development.
He described the contribution as a responsibility owed to future generations and an affirmation that institutions which once carried the hopes of a nation should not be allowed to fade into memory.
He noted that although he is Indian by nationality, Liberia holds a permanent place in his heart, adding that the restoration of Suehn represents continuity between generations and the preservation of values that once defined educational excellence in the country.
Sachdeva emphasized that the destruction of the academy went far beyond damaged walls and broken roofs, explaining that it also meant the loss of shared memory, identity, and the vital connections that link one generation of Liberians to the next.
Speaking on behalf of himself, his life partner, and the Jeety Conglomerate, he formally committed the three million Liberian dollars in building materials as an initial step toward the long delayed reconstruction process.
He stressed that the donation was not an emotional gesture but an investment in Liberia’s future, grounded in the conviction that rebuilding trusted institutions is essential to national progress. He added that the greatest fulfillment of his life has come from positively impacting lives that may never know his name but will experience lasting improvement because of those efforts.
The in kind donation stood as the largest single contribution announced during the fundraising gala and comes at a time when soaring construction costs have complicated rebuilding initiatives across the country.
Members of the Suehn Legacy Circle noted that the materials provided will significantly accelerate reconstruction work on several surviving structures on the academy’s campus. Although the contribution was not matched, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sara Beysolow Nyanti pledged five thousand United States dollars on behalf of herself and her siblings, making her the second highest donor of the evening and bringing the total funds committed at the event to slightly more than twenty three thousand United States dollars.
Earlier in the program, LeRoy Boikai of the Suehn Legacy Circle underscored that the history of Suehn Industrial Academy belongs to the nation as a whole and should be treated as a matter of national inheritance rather than private nostalgia.
He stated that Liberia is at a critical point where collaboration, shared responsibility, and long term investment in education are no longer optional but necessary, adding that the rebuilding of Suehn presents a rare opportunity to restore an institution that already carries public trust, identity, and historical meaning.
He described the gala as more than a fundraising occasion, calling it the official beginning of a restoration pathway rooted in partnership, transparency, and collective national interest.
The gala also served as a moment of reflection and remembrance, with tributes paid to individuals whose lives embodied the enduring values associated with Suehn Industrial Academy.
Those honored in memoriam included Mrs. Victoria A. Tolbert for her contributions to Christian education and Baptist schools throughout Liberia, Rev. Dr. E. Torma Reeves for his leadership within the Baptist faith and the historic Providence Baptist Church, and Mrs. Dinah Brown Barr for her pioneering work in home economics and family nutrition.
Additional honors were extended to Rev. Gbessi W. F. Kemah for his compassionate ministry at Suehn Mission, Hon. Ballah K. M. Davis for his service as an educator and statesman, Mrs. Agnes Nebo Von Ballmoos for her role in preserving Suehn’s legacy nationally and internationally, and Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine for his lasting influence on Liberia’s democratic development.
