To Inspire Liberia’s Future Generation
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
It is often said that your legacy as an alumnus should include passing down your experiences to future generations through motivational speeches, supporting innovative programs at the schools, financial assistance, and donations to ensure that current and prospective students have the same opportunities.
Against this backdrop, a young Liberian based in the US, Simgbay K. Kabbah Jr. has presented two of his global awards to the Kollah Foundation Institute and is expected to run a leadership program within the School.
Kabbah Jr., a very young Liberian, is a winner of the Global Youth Leadership Award 2023 from the Global Youth Parliament and the Diplomat Award 2023 from the World Diplomacy Forum respectively.
He is also a graduate and former Student Council President of the Kollah Foundation Institute, presented to the Institution proprietor Martin Saye Kollah, the administration, and students, his Global Awards aimed at recognizing the contribution, support, and effort of the school during his high school days.
“This is where I came from and with every success, I achieve God first and the school through its Founder Martin Saye Kollah who is like a father to me, second.”
Speaking to both the administrators and Students Monday, December 12, 2023, at the Campus of the Foundation in Thinkers Village at a well-attended ceremony, Kabbah Jr. noted that initiative is his way of identifying and contributing to his alma mater, a school he said gave him a solid foundation.
According to Kabbah., having a solid education foundation is key to success mixed with respect for everyone in society with humanity.
He noted that the school set a solid foundation and patched for him through its quality education programs at the beginning of his academic journey, something he believed has resulted in success.
The former Kollah Foundation Student Council President however commended the Institute through its founder for the impact and education he acquired during his high school days, noting that the institute built a solid foundation for him that will forever be remembered by him and his family.
In his motivational words to Students, Kabbah Jr. encouraged Liberian Youth not to despair in their humble beginning especially in the area of learning and in leadership.
He observed that the majority of the youthful population in Liberia are yet to identify who they are, as such it makes it difficult for them to positively change their lives and society.
According to him, the mindset of Liberian youth is different from those in Western countries.
Mr. Kabbah Jr, who has participated in several Global events observes that young people in the Western world are pushing toward peace, integrity, fighting corruption, and exploring other solutions to solve national and global problems but young people in Liberia are negative, they are yet to identify or discover who they are.
Meanwhile, Kabbah is expected to launch a leadership program at the Kollah Foundation Institute intended to prepare young people for leadership, beginning from the grassroots.
He said the leadership program when launched will help train young people to know how leadership is, and how it works, starting from the grassroots and setting the stage for them to serve in public spaces when given the opportunity.
According to him, people get to public spaces unprepared and fail due to a lack of discipline and value to serve from the beginning.
For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Martin Saye Kollah noted that he is proud of his student Simgbay K. Kabbah Jr. and other students for the impact of the foundation on their life.
“Simgbay K. Kabbah Jr. I have known him to be very smart, respectful, and disciplined. I have also been following his activities in the US and I believe other students and young people will follow his example in making an impact” he said.
Kollah Foundation runs two high schools and a Technical College that operates on a tuition-free basis for underprivileged parents and youth in dying need of quality and affordable education.