PHOTO: Run Liberia Marathon Staff
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
The group, Save More Kids has officially launched what it calls “Run Liberia Marathon, Road Project” in Liberia’s central city of Gbarnga City, Bong County.
The launching ceremony was held at the Gbarnga City Hall over the weekend, bringing together local chiefs, the City Mayor and members of the Run Liberia Marathon, among others.
Speaking at the official launch of the event, Run Liberia Race Director, Adama K. Dempster said that the Marathon is meant to raise fund that will go towards the construction of a one-mile road connecting Panta District to the Liberia-Guinea Border.
Run Liberia Marathon, Road Project is the first of its kind in the country comprising Liberians from all parts of the world, who have been invited to join the organization to walk and run on March 19, 2022 on the Garmue road, Mr. Dempster said.
According to him, though it is the responsibility of government to build roads, citizens’ initiative can move a whole country forward.
“We’re here to build a single road, we have not come and said let the government do it because it’s the government responsibility, but citizens’ initiative is something that can move a whole country forward. So if one community, a group of people will decide that we will build a house once they put their ideas together they put everything into it they will be successful in building that house,” he said.
Mr. Dempster argued that everyone knows that most of the farm roads in the counties are not built by government but rather the citizen themselves, adding that if the citizens can build a farm road, they are capable of building roads that can be used by cars and motorbikes.
“It is possible that we build a road because we started building farm road, we started building our own house, we started building our own kitchen when government did not give us money to build those things,” the Run Liberia Race Director explained.
He said if the citizens can have zeal and commitment in them, they can move Liberia forward.
The road that is about to be built connects Liberia to Guinea and the group expects to kick start the process with the marathon on March 19th.
Organizers say it will be a process of healing, a process of movement for togetherness and reconciliation. Family members that have not been able to see one another will have the opportunity to meet on that day.
Mr. Dempster said that strangers who have been living far from the shores of Liberia will join those who are in the country to participate in the process.
“We have come to join Save More Kids through the Karmue family, the people of Panta District, all of the citizens to ensure that this program becomes a success,” he asserted.
He called on citizens in Bong County and Liberia to join them during the race in order to be able to raise fund so as to build the road.
Marathon launch marks something new
For his part, the Executive Director of Save More Kids, Quanuquanei Karmue said the launch of the project marked something new, the beginning of the future.
Mr. Karmue maintained that his organization is asking Liberians for the first time to believe in something and be able to give themselves to it and to become the donors.
According to the US-Based Liberian, they are not turning to their European and American counterparts, the World Bank or anybody else but Liberians to turn out on March 19, 2022 to walk and run so that their hearts can be united in one accord.
Mr. Karmue indicated that somebody dreamed and decided that there must be a better road that leads from one end of Bong to another end in order to connect them with a group of people that live on the other side of the county.
The Save More Kids boss believes that the day Liberians stand up and believe that it is not enough, then the World will change and Liberia will become something different.
He asked, “Is it possible for somebody to have a dream that we can all participate in and at the end of the day the World is transformed by such dream?”
Mr. Karmue said he is holding those who attended the launching ceremony accountable as witnesses to the future and expects their presence at the upcoming event.
He challenged them to work tirelessly and spread the news far and wide.
“Then I want you to leave from here today with this imagination that your participation from now until the 19th has the potential to transform Liberia in ways that we can even start to imagine,” he admonished the gathering.
Quanuquanei Karmue has assured the citizens that if they sacrifice on March 19, 2022, there will be transformation.
Meanwhile, Save More Kids’ Executive Director said they are targeting four hundred thousand United States dollars (US$400,000.00) for the project.
Also speaking, the City Mayor of Gbarnga, Lucia Herbert has admonished Mr. Karmue and his team not to be deterred by the low turnout of citizens during the launch of the program.
She at the same time pledged her unwavering support to the initiative, and also making a pledge of ten thousand Liberian dollars.