Monrovia – Ten repentant sex-workers have received certificates in skills training, such as pastries, soap making and sewing. The program which brought together parents and well-wishers, was organized by Metro Harvest, Zogos weCare, and Madam Sheela Logan StarGurlz Empowerment and Counseling program, with partners United Nations, Gbowee Peace Foundation.
By Mae Azango [email protected]
In her moving testimony, student Wilhelmina B. Korvah, said she was ten years of age while living with her parents, she got on the street as a street vender and never went back home.
She further explained how she met Mother Mamie and Rev. Dormah, when she received a call from her aunt who told her about Rev. Dormah hosting a party and because she loves clubbing, she took advantage and attended, and then she met Rev. Dormah convinced her to leave the streets and that was how she left the streets. And he took her to mother Mamie for the past four years.
“I now realized that the past life was not good for me because Mother Mamie is a loving and caring mother and Rev. Dormah and mother Mamie stood by me as a mother and father in my life when my parents gave up on me. And our mother Mamie stood by me until I gave birth to my second child and we are with her.” She said.
“I returned to the streets again looking for what I did not lose and then I got pregnant with my second child and then Rev. Dormah and Mother Mamie, were the ones who saved me. Because I now understand that there is nothing on the streets besides sickness and death,” she added.
Esther Kollie, another graduate, gave her testimony of how she lived with a single mother and never experienced a father’s love, and when her mother died and left her to take care of five siblings, she had to do “street hustle” to support her brothers and sisters.
“In my street hustle, I met a friend who took me to her pastor who counselled me and advised that I explained my story to the church to see if some members in the church could help support me, so after I told the church my story, they used my story to mock me,” Esther said.
“I became so ashamed of myself, and after I left the church and the community, I came to live on Front Street and I heard about the StarzGurlz program and decided to take advantage of it. The program took up my time from morning up to 3 p.m. So, I had no time to be less busy. I want to extend a big thank you to StarGurlz because through their program, I am a changed person. And I am grateful to Rev. Dormah and mother Mamie for standing by me and I am in starGurlz for good,” she said.
Serving as the guest speaker, Rev. P. Karyidia Gartor, Sr. Pastor of First United Methodist Church, said the testimonies of the young girls were touching. And the lady who said she was mocked in a church, a place where she should have been received with open arms, but instead mocked, and wondered what the church is turning into nowadays.
Preaching from the book of Luke, she spoke on the theme: ‘The News is good’ which talked about freedom. She said the news is good because transformation has taken place in the lives of the girls who are free from their bondage.
“What happened to these girls is highly spiritual because Jesus talked about setting the bondage free in the bible, so these girls have been set free. You do not know until you come in contact with the right spirit, before you will know what you did in the past is bad. As one of the girls said she is in the Starz girls program for good, this is the spirit of God.” she said
Madam Malichi Quennah AKA Mother Mamie said she met Rev. Dormah seven years ago and since then, they have been visiting the various ghettos.
“Taking care of these girls and children is not easy but we are grateful. We have a baby we rescued from the ghetto, who was a day old and now she is four months. We have Joshua who is now four years old and others, we have come a long way. I am called Zogo mother and some people mistake zogos as crazy people, can even help me with my market bags when I go to the market. I am very grateful,” she said.
Rev. Caleb S. G. Dormah also known as the Zogos Rev. said he refers to his young people known as disadvantaged youth, Diamond in the dirt.
“I call them my diamonds in the dirt, because they come from the dirt, and once cleaned, they can shine more than ever. I have found out that many of these young people I am working with, come from good homes. And many are smart, as long as you give them the opportunities,” he said.
Parent Isaiah Lincoln, also Community Chairman of Front Street and father to the president of the graduating class, said it was not easy to get the ten girls to graduate from the program because at times some of the girls would refuse to go to school.
“My own daughter who is the President of the class would say Aunty Mamie is giving her a hard time so she will not go to school, but I forced her. So, I extend my thanks to both Rev. Domah and Mother Mamie for making this day a success.”
At the end of the program, the graduates exhibited their production outside for sale and some well-wishers bought a few.
