MONROVIA – The Prince & Tawa Woods Foundation has awarded eight scholarships in Logan Town.
By Danesius Marteh, [email protected], Contributor
Four students each will enroll at the St. Edwards Catholic and St. Matthew Methodist High Schools for the academic year.
According to the foundation’s founder and chief executive officer, the scholarship was his foundation’s way of giving back to the community.
“I was born and raised in Logan Town. So I feel obligated to come back when the opportunity avails itself to interact with my friends and find ways to motivate children, who are smart by awarding scholarships.
“I am always in and out of Liberia. This is my third time giving back to my community. We distributed rice and oil during [the heat of] Covid-19. The community have welcomed me and wholeheartedly received my gesture,” said Prince Woods.
Woods said he has never been afraid to return to his community unlike some Liberians, who harbored fears for good or bad reasons.
“As a young boy growing-up in Logan Town, I saw poverty. And leaving
Liberia and going to the United States for better life, I always had it at the back of my mind that I need to return and contribute my quota to the community to which I came from.
“And I do it without fear. I do it with motivation. And God has helped me with the wife that I do have, who kind of encourage me to come and give back to the community. So I always do such things without fear. As long as there is a God, we always put those things [fear factors] behind us,” added Woods.
Some philanthropists have gone into politics and Woods, younger brother to renowned human rights activist and lawyer Samuel Kofi Woods, is leaving all cards on the deck.
“In life, you always leave your options open. You don’t strike for that [being a representative or senator] but if it comes then it comes. We want to give back. How much can you eat? There is nothing much for you to give back.
“The five or 10 dollars you give someone can better their life at least for a day. So you must do it now. When can you do it if you can’t do it now? So I don’t put political aspect in this process.
“I will do what I need to do for my people. When the time comes then it comes but the option is always open. So we don’t rule things out. As a young man, I always leave the option opens,” Woods concluded.
The scholarship beneficiaries were selected from a sports tournament to mark his return.
In football, an all stars from the East defeated the West 3-1 at Body Man field in Blamoh Yard on 15 January.
In basketball on 16 January, an all stars from the West defeated the East by 36 to 32 points in a children game at the Bing Court.
St. Edward defeated St. Matthew by 46 to 40 points while Bushrod Bulls lost by 41 to 47 points to All Stars.
Woods departed for America on 23 January.
Mission statement
The Prince and Tawa Woods foundation is a non for profit initiative, guided by the belief that every life has equal value, that helps all people live healthy and productive life in Liberia and focuses on improving people’s health, education and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.