By Augustine Octavius,augustineoctavius@gmail.com
With the increasingly difficult economic situation being faced in Liberia today, many school-age children may just not be able to sit in class this academic semester.
But thanks to the Prison Fellowship Liberia with support from the California -based Keyara’s Gift, a number of them are among the lucky ones.
The group has awarded scholarships to hundreds of young people and provided financial assistance to less fortunate women in four counties in Liberia.
The fellowship’s Country Director, Reverend Francis Kollie disclosed that the scholarship program covered the provision of books, book bags and medication whenever the children are sick.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville earlier this week, Reverend Kollie said some of the beneficiaries are orphans, wives and children of inmates as well women who are facing challenges in catering for their children.
The scholarship program, which cost over 75,000 United States Dollars for the first phase, will also cover meals for the students, shoes and little amount for launch break.
According to Reverend Kollie, the project is currently been implemented in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Mar Gibi and Bomi Counties and will be extended to the 15 political sub divisions.
He warned that beneficiaries that will be dropped from the scholarship program if anyone of them fails in one class two times.
Rev. Kollie disclosed that some of the students and women that benefitted from the scholarships and financial assistance because they are challenged due to the prevailing economic problems prevailing in the country.
The Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director revealed that some of the women are single mothers while some of the children lost the parents to the deadly Ebola outbreak