By Mark N. Mengonfia
A Liberian woman, Marvis Germu has been awarded Best Youth Public Servant in West Africa award.
Speaking over the weekendy during the official presentation of the award to her Church, United Methodist in Paynesville, Miss. Germu informed the Church that she was awarded on April 24, 2018, as the Best Youth Public Servant in West Africa from the West Africa Youth Forum in the Republic of Ghana on the basis of her involvement to serving humanity through charitable adventures.
She said “let me firstly rendered thanks to GOD Almighty for giving us the passion for charity which is running through my team and I minds to have been counted as a plus in West Africa.
Over the years, we have created the act of kindness where our campaigns to persons who have had more than enough to contribute a part of his or her surplus income for the fulfillment of the needs of orphans, physical challenged people, children out of schools and those who are less capable”.
According to her, the award is a symbol that has flagged Liberia to the outside world as contributing agent of change. Changes and solutions come through positive efforts applied by delegated people who want to see things transforming to the better.
She told the congregation of the Church that the West Africa Youth Forum Award is a tool that recognizes strong developmental strides ranging from top to bottom made by young folks in the Western region.
During the presentation, the award winner indicated that the program converged professionals and innovative generational leaders to have stakeholders dialogue and solutions to some of the challenges Africa is faced with.
“From my organization (Life Giver- Africa) we engage, dialogue and find solutions to problems eating up the fabric of our communities. Many a times I share tears when I visit disable centers, orphanages, and most of all people in the streets corners that don’t have anything to eat, but a roll on my cheek motivates me to ask many of you for nickels and dames to help carter to these people daily needs” she said.
The Liberian lady said it is important for President George Weah and people of his government to take the lead of employing one physical challenged person each in their offices as it will give a signal to the outside world that Liberia is enhancing the fight against discrimination globally.
She said “charity sees the need, not the cause, so let’s give everyone equal opportunities to live”.
The award winner went on to say that charity is never showing up what you have given and wanting to give, “it is done from the deepest of the heart”.
In addition to that, she said with the little gains made by many African youths, the continent is still faced with a continental challenge or poverty evidence by the World Bank 2012 Sub-Sahara Africa Poverty and Equality Data report which states that Africa has 47 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa living in enriched poverty.
According to her, among the nations in Africa, Liberia is ranked fourth place on the Poverty index, which is an obstacle to human development and a hurdle to global transformation.
She said this is a problem that everyone can provide their little solutions to amicably help in alleviating each country from an improvised livelihood and promote the creation of equal opportunities for the inclusion of productivity in Africa governance system.
“In most African countries, not leaving Liberia out, discrimination has been
The Liberian award winner added that everywhere, every time people who are handicapped, disabled, physically challenged are segregated against highly for job opportunities in their society when they’re even qualified, competent and professional to get employment in the society.
“I wholly believe that because our leaders have not taken the lead to include such people in our governing system so most of our officials in both the private and public sector have not seen the need to give them opportunity to work”.
The executive director of the Life Giver-Africa also said that at the result of discrimination which leads to joblessness, more kids are out of school during instructional periods and most often they are found in the street corners fetching earns means for their families.
Miss Germu called on Liberians to see those people found in humanly challenged conditions to be treated with respect adding that they were not created to become baggers to the end of their lives.
She said “disability does not mean in ability, so let’s seek to provide space for them at our little corners of work”.
She additionally said that her award also serves as Pride and motivation for Liberian youths especially girls in making efforts to impact their communities from their little initiatives.
“Most especially when I and another Liberian female (Mrs. Leelai Kpokuyou who won the Best Entrepreneurial of West Africa 2018) which mean our country has won another international recognition meaning this award has come with prestige and honorary respect for our country. A culture of history making has been notarized in the West Africa house of frame for Liberia” she said with laughter across her face.
She went on to said that as for her as a youth leader in Africa, she salute the President of the Republic of Liberia, Ambassador George M. Weah, the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, Amb. Cleria Weah and the Vice President of the Republic of Liberia Madam Jewel Howard Taylor for championing charity as a means of serving others, “but I also want honorably challenge the President, the First Lady and the Vice President to take the lead in employing people with disability”.
She said with her historical award, it has given her ardent motivation to advocate for adequate funding to enhance vibrant youth leadership, dialoguing better policies to minimize all forms of inequalities in Africa, work to strengthening communities and engaging stakeholders for the creation of opportunities for people with disabilities.
“As the founder and Executive Director of Life Giver Africa, I want to thank all of our supports who have donated their one dollar or more to the survivability of others in the past years of establishment. As I turn this Award over in this Church, may it be given unto the glory of God; we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill
Each life saves many lives, let’s give today,” the young Liberian award winner stressed.