By Alfred Kollie,alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
A number of young people from across Montserrado County, where Liberia’s capital is situated, have ended a day-long training on addressing challenges affecting their well-being and society at large.
The training, which was held in Monrovia last weekend, brought together students, organization heads and individuals from several communities, including Paynesville, Sinkor and Gardnerville among others.
It was organized by Rehab Africa in collaboration with 1000Books+ and Letters to Strangers an international organization.
Rehab Africa is a Nonprofit Organization that seeks to empower youth through entrepreneurship and education, exclusively other Social programs that seek to address the World most pressing problems.
Speaking during the training, the Founder and Executive Director of Rehab Africa Reuben Reeves Jr. said the PEER TO PEER or PTP is a project launch under Rehab Africa Goals 2020.
’’The PTP is being implemented through the office of the National Coordinator with approval and full support from the Executive Director under a program call Peer Lab,’’ according to Mr. Reeves.
The training specifically focuses on Mental Health, education, peer counseling and entrepreneurship among others.
Reeves noted that the Peer Lab is a program that brings together young people from around Liberia to discuss Africa pressing problems and the solutions to said problems.
He said: ‘’The Peer Lab target to empower, transform and build youths and teens to return to their communities and Organizations and help to build a sustainable and impactful community.’’
At the same time, Mr. Reeves has urged people across Liberia to take the lead in making the country better noting that the country is challenged and that it takes positive minded young people to transform it.
‘’The organization is trying to build up young people in Liberia to be creative and positive in their activities in becoming a change agent in society,’’ he concluded.
Speaking on Mental Health and peer counseling at the training, a retired US Military Patrick Varney Coleman called on young people in Liberia to become a change agent and know how to deal with situation in a positive manner.
According to Mr. Coleman, ‘’ Mental health is a serious problem in Liberia that needs every one concerns because anybody can suffer from mental illness’’
He is urging Liberians to encourage individuals with mental illness to befriend them and give them hope by listening to their concern.
‘’Give them food, water and support them, do not be ashamed to interact with them, encourage them by giving them help and hope,’’ he ended.
Rehab Africa will take the lead in implementing the solutions presented working closely with Team Leaders, communities and schools step after step across Liberia.
At the event, an interactive Webinar was conducted that was very Educative to participants as they had the opportunity to ask questions and know how to start some other initiatives in their respective communities by Melissa Khasbagan Founder of 1000Books.
Melissa Khasbagan who is an 18 year old high school senior in Austin, Texas is the main supporting partner to Rehab Africa.
In 2017, she traveled to visit her family in rural Inner Mongolia and was shocked at the lack of resources for students learning English.
Upon her return to the United States of America, she began collecting books and later she officially established 1000Books for a 501©3 nonprofit Organization that provides education and entrepreneurship resources to students in developing countries including Liberia.
Her youth-led organization operates in eight countries, working with 400 teachers and impacting over 35,000 students.