Our History

It all started in 2015 when we noticed children in our neighborhood were either carrying various items around to sell or just playing around during normal school hours. We investigated and discovered that the parents who are mostly caretakers of properties in the area could not afford to send their children to school or even provide basic necessities like proper nutrition.

 

My husband and I got into action and built a makeshift school made from sticks, bamboo mats, aluminum zinc, and concrete floors, starting with 3 classrooms that eventually progressed to 8 classrooms, and a multipurpose room for school programs and lunch. We now have 126 children from ECE to 6th grade and 13 staff member volunteers from the community; including 8 teachers, 1 first aid personnel, 1 Custodian, 1 Registrar, and 2 cooks. We provide each student with school uniforms, textbooks, and school supplies. We also started a feeding program which provides free breakfast and lunch because the majority of these children have access to only one meal a day provided late in the evenings. 

 

As a result:

• The word has spread around and 90% of the children from the neighborhood attend Garyah Valley Academy (GVA)

• Children well into their teens who have never been enrolled in school are sitting in classrooms for the first time and doing well.

• As of 2019 we have achieved 85% retention of students. The few who do not return have left due families relocating to a different area.

• Of the nine students in our recent 6th grade class, 6 were able to graduate onto middle school outside of the community and their school fees are now independently sponsored by donors of the GVA program.

 

However, there is still much room for growth. The makeshift school building was a temporary fix, it is not durable for our students and staff. Our teacher volunteers, who have selflessly worked to educate these young minds for a fraction of actual wages, need to be paid regular monthly salaries and continue to be trained to provide an updated and enriched experience for the students. A few have already begun contributing to the school by donating school supplies as well as funds to form the profile and dig the foundation of the new school building. Please see a list of all sponsors and their sponsored items here.

 

It is our hope that you will join us in helping the underprivileged children of Garyah Town, Liberia and improving the educational system, one neighborhood at a time.

 

God Bless,

Veronica