Monrovia – The Liberia Refugee Network (LRN), with support from its sponsors, the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and Exxon Mobil has identified with several orphanages across Monrovia and its suburbs.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
The organization, on July 25 donated several food and non-food item including vegetables and clothes to the Center for the Aged, Orphans, Needy and Abandoned Children in New Georgia, the Calvary International Orphanage and the Center for the Advancement of Liberia Youth Paynesville.
Speaking during the distribution exercise at the various venues, the Executive Director of Liberia Returnee Network, E. Tyrone Marshall noted that the gesture is his organization’s way of identifying with the children during the July 26 Independence celebration.
He noted that the items were produced by themselves, and as former refugees, they were proud to be back home and making positive impact to their country.
“I just want you to feel that we are part of you,” he said.
“As you can see the words on our T-shirts one care, one love, one concern to show to a child. It is a real good thing to be here because we know that when July 26 is coming, it is time that family share with family.”
“Coming back home we felt that we have acquired so much knowledge whilst being a refugee, and we believe that we got so much to give back to our people.”
“We are involved with vocational training and agriculture, everything that we will be dividing here today, we ourselves produced them.”
“It is the mind set of our sponsors and us to recognize with you.”
“It is just the way of saying that we love you so much.
He called for more support to the orphans and stressed the need of providing skills training to them at their respective institutions.
“We wish that one day we will have sponsors to be able to extend these programs to all of the vocational schools around here, because as you grow up from here, you need a hands on training; and vocational education is a complete guarantee. “
“The moment you are through, you get a job. We wish that some of these programs will be introduced at the orphanage home because as soon as they get from here, they will be able to do something,” Marshall averred.
Rev. Alexander Stemn of the Calvary International Orphanage, Comfort T. R. Dennis of the Center for the Aged, Orphans, Needy and Abandoned Children in New Georgia and Maude W. Pennoh of the Center for the Advancement of Liberia Youth, in separate remarks , thanked LRN and partners for the gesture and called on other institutions to emulate their good example.
“We are so happy to see you here this afternoon.”
“Taking care of the kids so not something easy; but by the grace of God we are doing our best.”
“As you know we give the children hope to make meaningful contributions to the society in the future. We hope you come again and that others will follow your footsteps,” said Comfort T. Dennis.
Also as part of the team was the Executive Director of Orphan Concerned Liberia, Amos Sawboh who disclosed that plans are being worked out to gradually take the kids out of the orphanages and give them out to foster parents.
He thanked LNR for the donation and disclosed that his organization is working with over 64 orphanages across Liberia to improve the lives of orphans.
“These people were in the same shoes as you, that’s why we brought them so that you can be inspired.”
“When we were contacted by the LRN, we thought that their story will resonate well with these children.”
“In Liberia what we are trying is to gradually graduate with the issue of orphanages, and to get the children fostered,” Sawboh explained.