With Fr Angel Artime to say THANKS

“As government, we realize that we must work harmoniously with all partners to ensure access to early childhood education programs, to develop standardized and sustainable programs, and to build the capacities of early childhood education, in order to have a positive and favourable impact on the nation’s programs for children from birth to grade three. The programs shall aim to provide all necessary opportunities for each child to develop the appropriate physical, mental , emotional and social skills, attitudes, and habits to enable him or her to proceed to the primary level and continue to learn and live a useful and productive life ...” (President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the Liberia Early Childhood Development Conference, April 2013).

UNICEF ranks the mortality rate of infant under-5 in Liberia among the five highest in the world. 40 per cent of children under five suffer from stunting caused by malnutrition.

The number of the orphaned children due to the recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease is to be added to the more than 200,000 children orphaned by the 14 years brutal civil war, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases.

More than 300,000 Liberian children do not attend school; and even for those enrolled in classrooms, two third of them are being thought by unqualified teachers.  “At the national level, 47.4% of Early Childhood Education  teachers are trained, compared to 51.8% who are untrained” (Capital Insider Aug/Sep 2015).

The largest number of those who are out of the educational process are those who come from destitute parents.

We are still witnessing to the fact that 25% of boys and 32% of girls drop out of schools at primary level and 20% of young people between 15 and 24 are illiterate.

The Salesians are present in Liberia since 1979. They contributed to the education and accompanied children and young people of Liberia during and after the war and also during the contagion of the Ebola virus. For the children they have built two schools in Monrovia, attended by 1200 boys / girls; they have started a school outside Monrovia now handed over to the local diocese in Tapita; they have started the Don Bosco Polytechnic, now Stella Maris Polytechnic; they worked for the recovery of child soldiers and street boys and girls and were able to take care of more than 500 families during the infection of Ebola virus.  At present they are working hard to ensure access to food, health care, education to 200 boys/girls.

 

 From 2^nd to 4^th February 2016 we will have with us the Rector Major Fr Ángel Fernandez Artime. He will celebrate the feast of Don Bosco with the children and young people of the two Salesian presences in Monrovia. We want to show our gratitude to Don Bosco and Don Ángel because they are near to us and accompany us. Through them we want to say thanks to many benefactors and friends who contribute and support our mission even economically, for the grown and development of the children of Liberia.

 

 

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