PHOTO: The foreign partners gowned by the Child Wisdom School System
By Kelvin Gonlah, gonlahkelvin1995@gmail.com
As a mark of gratitude, the Child Wisdom School System has gowned its International partners from the United States of America (USA) with African cultural attires.
This comes as the academic school year draws to a through the holding of a cultural display at the school’s campus in central Boys Town, Schefflin Township in Marshall Lower Margibi County recently.
The foreign guests also donated school materials to the institution. At the jammed packed occasion, the Child Wisdom School System in solidarity with the Liberia Culture troop displayed the African Culture and norms to its foreign partners.
The occasion brought together community dwellers, women groupings, and youth with some wearing their African dress code to welcome the guests at the well-attended occasion.
Speaking at the program was a Liberian writer of several books including ‘Slavery and Black Americans Statehood’, America’s Forgotten Star-Liberia, “The Boy from the Slum who became the World’s best soccer player, and from a slave family to the First Black American President – J.J Roberts.
Mr. Gebah Sekou Kamara, who served as the keynote speaker, obtained his Associate Degree in Automotive Technologies at Lincoln Technical Institute in Philadelphia; later followed his passion by obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Phoenix campus in downtown Philadelphia and was an adjunct criminal justice professor, and as a human services professional.
He is also a social advocate, culinary chef, and host of the African Writers Room on Clubhouse.
Mr. Kamara is also a founding member of the Liberian Empowerment Organization in Philadelphia.
In his keynote address, he said his early academic sojourn in Liberia, he was faced with so many challenges in Liberia while navigating his way to achieve education during early childhood.
“When I traveled to the United States to acquire a new education, I met all the necessary things that I needed to prepare myself and come back one day to contribute to Liberia. I never knew when that one day was going to be but I knew it was something deep in my heart, and I know what I wanted to do. So I find passion in writing and reading and I discovered some many histories about Liberia that I was not privileged when I was here in Liberia going to school,” the US-based Liberian writer asserted.
Mr. Kamara further explained that while studying in the United States of America (USA) to pursue higher education, he has found passion in writing Liberian history as a means of contributing back to his country, Liberia to inform the Liberian society about their historic events and culture, and norms. According to him, most African histories were written by White people and other Africans.
“You have to tell your own story, that’s the journey I decided to undertake. So when I came here, I was looking for a school to donate a couple of my books to, I identified with several schools; I met students and we talked about it. On my way back, I passed by the Child Wisdom School. And I was so excited about its uniqueness, I already knew the word wisdom. At that moment, I was amazed to give a copy of my book to the owner of the institution, Child Wisdom School System; immediately, my nephew took me to this School, and I introduced myself and he was so happy to accept my request,” Mr. Kamara added.
He continued: “During my first visit to this institution, I promised to come back here. And I also promised to bring more visitors and special people in my life to Liberia that will share some interest in your school and we can see where to start from. So when I went back home to the United States of America, I shared my vision with them; I told Mr. and Mrs. Strempek about it. They both were excited about the trip to Liberia. She promised not to come to go to the beach and sleep in a fancy hotel and go back home. She told me that her trip to Liberia is have an impact on students and the young people in Liberia.”
“This is not a mission that I want to start on my own, I want to bring more people on board when my folks in the U.S. heard that I adopted a school, Dr. Doris, my Mother-in-law told one of her friends that my son-in-law, Kamara adapted an institution in West Africa, Liberia. I want to take this on board, to bring more people to adapt schools in Liberia,” averred.
At the well-attended program, Mr. Kamara lauded several groups and the owner of the Child Wisdom School System for welcoming them to Liberia.