PHOTO: The 160 brand new chairs donated to Konoquelleh Public School
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- Students attending the Konoquelleh Public School in Woryan Town, Konoquelleh Clan, Cinta Township, Margibi County are for the very first time sitting on arm chairs in the institution, 74 kilometers east of Monrovia.
This is because the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation (BRYF) in partnership with the Kutoa Afrika Foundation has donated one hundred and sixty arm chairs to the institution.
The school, with funding from the County Social Development Fund, was constructed by the Administration of Margibi County and dedicated it.
The school opened to the student populace as of the beginning of academic 2021/2022 without the provision of educational materials.
The school has been operating without arm chairs thus forcing the students to sit on the floor with others using bricks. Also, the school does not have pit latrine, safe drinking water and library.
This prompted the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation and its partner, the Kutoa Afrika Foundation to intervene by providing 160 arm chairs to the school.
The Foundation has at the same time promised to construct pit latrine, hand pump and library at the facility.
Speaking during the donation of the arm chairs to the administration of the school recently, the former president of BRYF, Emmanuel Kpoto said the gesture is the organization way of creating a conducive learning environment for the students who are the future leaders of Liberia.
According to him, few months ago the Foundation thought of the vision of providing good sitting capacity for the students.
He said based upon that he communicated with an eminent son of the clan regarding the challenges the institution is faced with.
Mr. Kpoto explained that he was then informed that the institution has a serious challenge when it comes to sitting capacity, safe drinking water and pit latrine respectively.
In addition to that, the BRYF former president said he was also informed that the school has about 150 students and 10 instructional staffs.
Emmanuel Kpoto said he immediately sent a communication to Kutoa Afrika Foundation, a partner institution to BRYF appealing for books, the construction of pit latrine, the provision of arm chairs, and the construction of hand pump to provide safe drinking water for the students and teachers, noting that the request was approved.
He stated that the Foundation then engaged a carpenter who agreed to prepare the 160 arm chairs.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kpoto has announced that the construction of the pit latrine and the hand pump will commence soon.
He assured the students, administration and parents that with support from BRYF and its partners, the different projects will be implemented as planned.
Mr. Kpoto thanked the partners for their continuous support to the works of the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation.
In a brief remark, the acting president of BRYF, Precious Olukoya donating the chairs on behalf of BRYF and Kutoa Afrika Foundation said out of the 160 arm chairs, 150 pieces are for the students while the other 10 pieces are for the administration.
She pledged the organization and its partners’ continuous support to the school.
Also speaking, the County Education Officer of Margibi, Stephen Toee lauded BRYF and its partner for the gesture and at the same time committed himself to working with the Foundation.
Mr. Toee on the other hand admonished the parents and guardians of the students to properly manage the donated arm chairs.
He vowed to recommend some of the volunteer teachers to the Ministry of Education for employment.
The Bill Rogers Youth Foundation (BRYF) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2004. Since its existence, it has been partnering, inviting, training, and initiating several sporting events including its annual 5K Race.
The organization is also involved in agriculture and other projects in many parts of Liberia.
BRYF, during the heat of the Ebola Virus in 2014 was heavily involved into the fight against the pandemic in Liberia especially Montserrado and Grand Bassa Counties. It has also provided safe drinking water for hundreds of residents of a rural community (Woryan Town) in Margibi County.