Liberia: Sios, Others Break Grounds for High Sch. Division of Annie T. Doe Memorial Academy and Community Health Clinic in Buchanan

BUCHANAN – The Founder and Board Members of the Annie T. Doe Memorial Academy (ATDMA) has broken grounds for the construction of addition annex meant for the senior high division of the academy. The new annex and Community Health Clinic are estimated at US$100K. The clinic will also house the high school science lab.

The ATDMA operates under the Annie T. Doe Memorial Foundation, which is a non-profit organization operating in the both the USA and Liberia.

The Foundation is aimed at providing a long-term solution to the educational, women empowerment, and healthcare problems in under-served communities in Liberia.

The Foundation provides free, quality Christian education, women’s empowerment programs, including free six-month sewing training, interest-free 12-month micro-financing loans, free computer literacy training and basic healthcare services to underprivileged or marginalized communities.

On this recent trip, it added tye & dying, soap making and fashion Design to its programs.

For its computer lab, the team also brought 15 new laptops for its advanced computer literacy programs.

On March 4, 2023, a team comprising Board Members of the Foundation joined the Founder and the Office of Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor to break grounds for the construction of the high school.

The Vice President, even though she wasn’t present, physically, gave US$1000 as her initial contribution towards the construction of the annex.

According to the Foundation’s Founder, Mrs. Saya Doe Sio, the groundbreaking of the additional annexes was meant to extend the school from junior high to senior high level and provide free health services to residents of Grand Bassa County.

With the construction is complete, the ATDOE Academy’s enrollment will increase from 540 students to 675 students.

“The Foundation also provides scholarships to graduating high school students in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA,” Mrs. Sio said.

She furthered, “We will not rest until the first student from this institution become a Medical Doctor and can check my blood pressure; we will not rest until students of this institution return to teach in their own school. We will not rest until students of this noble institution become engineers and return to design the ATDOE University.”

Ms. Sio stressed that the Foundation is currently working on constructing a clinic for the school and the community as part of its humanitarian services.

Madam Sio, who grew up in the same community that the school is located in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County many years ago, mentioned that since its founding in 2011, the Foundation has continued to expand its works across Liberia and has impacted the lives of over 15,000 individuals through education programs and other services.

“The Annie T. Doe Memorial Academy provides free Christian-based education to 540 underprivileged children (K1 through 9th grades), women’s empowerment initiatives, and basic healthcare services from various impoverished communities across Liberia,” she said.

The Foundation mainly aids residents of the Sugar Cane Farm Community and adjacent communities in Lower Buchanan. In 2012, the Foundation erected a 6000-square foot eight-classroom elementary school building. That building, which is equipped with modern bathrooms, a mini-library, an office, opened its doors to the first 75 underprivileged children at no cost to them or their parents and guardians.

Over the last seven years, the enrollment of students increased by over 500% as the ATDMA is tuition free institution, and in 2021, with the support of sponsors and partners, the Foundation constructed a modern junior high school structure that includes a 600-capacity seated auditorium, a new library, an office space, a computer lab, two modern bathrooms, and three classrooms.

As a fully accredited Junior High School, the Foundation provides tuition-free education to 540 underprivileged students in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The enriched academic programs — K1 to 9th grade — include 14 areas of studies, including English, Mathematics, Science, History/Social Studies, Geography, Civics, Literature/Reading, Bible, Vocabulary, Writing, Phonics, Computer, Drawing, and Physical Education.

In addition to its enriched academic programs, the ATDMA offers seven extra-curriculum activities including Palava Management, Agriculture, Tailoring, etc all aimed at the wholesome character development for their students and beneficiaries.

Also speaking, Emmanuel Wragbo, Principal of the Bassa Demonstration School encouraged, the Founder and the Board Members to continue their support, adding, “It is making a significant impact in Liberia.”

“I am so excited to see a piece of land that we used to play football on years back being transformed into a modern school.”

Wragbo pleaded with Saya and other board members of the Foundation “to step outside the box and think about helping students of the Bassa Demonstration School because there are so many underprivileged kids attending the school.”

While in Liberia, the ATDOE US-based team is also distributing 15,000 pairs of shoes to various schools, churches, orphanages, zogos across the country, including the 540 students at the ATDMA. Last Thursday the team prayed for each student at the academy, washed their feet and placed a new pair of shoes on their feet. The shoes were donated by the Samaritan’s Feet International.

Saya travelled to Liberia on this trip with Francis Sio, her husband, Co-founder and Director of Strategy of the ATDOE Foundation, Carmen Carter, ATDOE Board Member who directs the Students Sponsorship Program and her husband Lynn Carter, from Landis, NC. They both are visiting Liberia for the third time.

Also on the trip is John Alan Goodman from Kannapolis, NC. He is visiting Africa for the first time and is the sponsor of several students at the Academy. Also, another Board member, Ms. Kathryn Montgomery, Director of Communications, is visiting Africa for the first time along with her husband, Derrick Montgomery. They both are from Texas, USA.