Fate Of 46 Orphans Hangs In The Balance, School Building in Bad Shape
By Gabriel M C Parker
KLAY, Liberia–The Temax Memorial Children Welfare Center in Klay Town, Bomi County is on the verge of collapse, with 36 orphans, semi-orphans and children in need struggling to survive without food, healthcare and a safe school.
The center was established and has been run since 1998 by Mother Dorris Weever out of her passion for underprivileged children.
It is now in crisis because its founder has grown old and can no longer go out to seek support, leaving the home with no sponsor or regular supporter.
Supervisor of the center, James Weever, said the institution currently houses 36 children between the ages of 5 to 15 years who are finding it difficult to get their daily meals.
According to Weever, the children are supposed to be fed three times daily, but due to the lack of food, the center can only afford to feed them once or twice a day.
“The kids are between 5 to 15 years, they are supposed to be fed three times daily but because there is no food, we feed them once or twice,” James Weever indicated.
As a means of survival due to the lack of regular support, the management has engaged the children in agriculture activities, planting cassava just for them to survive.
Weever further disclosed that the health of the children is also at risk, as the center can no longer afford medical treatment.
He explained that a medical practitioner who used to come to treat sick children has stopped coming regularly because the center owes him money.
“When they get sick, a medical practitioner used to come treat them but he too has complained because we owe him some money so he hardly comes again,” Weever said.
Poor state of school building being used
Meanwhile, the school building hosting the children, Temah Community School, is in a deplorable condition, according to the Dean of Students, John Jekeh.
Jekeh said all five classrooms are leaking and need a complete roof change, forcing children to crowd into one class whenever it rains.
“The building you see is all leaking, whenever there’s rain the children have to pack in the other class, the whole roof needs to be changed. We have five classes and all five are in deplorable condition,” John Jekeh stated.
He noted that teachers at the school are not even discussing salaries because the orphanage itself has no supporter, but they continue to teach out of passion.
He warned that if they abandon the children, they will have no option but to go into the streets and potentially become disadvantaged youths, (Zogoes).
Jackeh therefore calling on the government and humanitarian organizations to support the institution, emphasizing that they too are helping to train future leaders.