PHOTO: Some of the young Liberian women selected to participate in the SHE-CAN mentorship program
By Hannah N. Geterminah
The Youth Network for Reform, Incooperated (YONER-Liberia), a Liberian social enterprise and tech-education learning accelerator reimagining education has officially launched a month-long mentorship institute for young girls across Liberia to apply for SHE-CAN’s 2023 full-ride college scholarship to the United States of America.
This is a social enterprise that also creates employment through social entrepreneurship, higher education management and tech innovation, which was launched on Friday, July 22, 2022,
The mentor program that is done in partnership with Supporting Her Education Changes A Nation (SHE-CAN) is seeking for young Liberian women to join a fully funded scholarship and leadership program in the United States of America.
Both Jarius Andrew Greaves, founder and executive director of YONER-Liberia and Barbara Bylenga, SHE-CAN executive director in a join press release disclosed that they intend to host information sessions, about the scholarship and mentoring program across Bong, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba County that will enable participants get selected and admitted in various universities in the United States of America.
Greaves said, “Since 2018, YONER has supported and closely worked with SHE-CAN to identify students for the program.”
He added that since then, 20 young women from Liberia have been successfully selected for the program, and 9 are now in the United States of America growing their leadership capacity before they return home to make an impact in their communities.
“This August 2022 an additional 5 young women will be traveling to the United States to begin their studies, and 6 more will submit their college applications by the end of the year,” Greaves added.
Bylenga said, “SHE-CAN is an American Non-for- profit organization with the mission to build female leadership in post-conflict countries by equipping and empowering young women with the education, mentorship, and leadership skills needed to change their nations and the world.”
“Since 2011,” Bylenga said, “SHE-CAN has helped 83 scholars from Rwanda, Liberia, and Cambodia win over $21M in full-ride scholarships and enroll into some of America’s best universities and colleges, growing their leadership capacity before they return home to Liberia to make an impact in their communities.”
Bylenga disclosed that ideal candidates for the SHE-CAN program are female scholars aged 17-20, from low-income backgrounds, who have strong communication skills and strong academics, adding, “they should graduate from high school by January 2023. The most outstanding candidates will have already demonstrated potential to grow into a leader at home.”
This year, YONER-Liberia is supporting SHE-CAN in Liberia to recruit another batch of young Liberian women interested in applying to join the 2023 SHE-CAN scholarship program.
About YONER-Liberia
YONER-Liberia, founded in 2008, was established to support the rehabilitation, reintegration and reunion of former child
soldiers with their families and communities.
YONER has since transitioned into a full-fletched youth-focused, social, educational, entrepreneurial development hub, and environmental conservation advocacy entity. YONER creates platforms for economic self-reliance and social equality.
As a social enterprise, YONER accelerates technical education and learning, reimagines education, employability, and entrepreneurship. The do this by fostering access to higher education, sustainable rural agriculture development and the adoption of technology innovations.