Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 17 July 2003 — Page 5

The Muncie Times • July 17, 2003 • Page 5

continued from page 4. government to avert a possible chaos that would ensue in the gun infested city of Monrovia; 3. The US should provide leadership for emergency humanitarian relief for the starving, displaced Liberian population; 4. The US should provide leadership for a comprehensive disarmament of all warring parties, including the government

forces and the restructuring and training of the Liberian security forces, including its national army; 5. The US should provide leadership and help facilitate the constitution of an interim government made up of credible, patriotic Liberians, but not as representatives of any particular warring faction, with specific mandate to coordinate the disarmament of all Liberians, repatriation and resettlement of

internally displaced and refugee Liberians and lay thy the groundwork for governance in two years or within a reasonable period of guaranteed success; 6. The US should provide leadership for a five to ten year educational rehabilitation partnership between Liberia and the United Nations or its appropriate agencies for the reorganization and reform of Liberia’s educational system and programs;

7. In additional to emergency humanitarian relief and short-term political solution, the US should lead an international effort at providing a mechanism for lasting peace in Liberia through educational, social and economic empowerment of the Liberian people; these can be accomplished by collaboration and partnerships with people of goodwill, international charitable foundations.

Liberians in U.S Unite To Educate Displaced Children

In order to serve as a viable partner for this great effort at restoring peace to Liberia, a group of Liberians and friends of Liberia organized the Liberian Children’s Education Fund, Inc (LICEF) in 1999, as a nonprofit organization, based in the United States, to mobilize technical, financial and material resources inresponse to our children’s call to restore their shattered future. The Vision We envision that, predicated upon our historical experiences and the challenges of a dawning millennium, Liberians and friends of Liberia will pool their resources together and commit themselves to providing for all Liberian children the opportunity to attain an excellent education that will empower them with essential skills to redevelop a -Unure of love, peace. patriotism, community service, and democratic leadership. Mission Statement The Liberian Children's Education Fund mobilizes financial, material

and technical resources to help improve Liberia’s educational system and programs through research, training and scholarship, innovative curricular evaluation and improvement, family and community literacy, facility rehabilitation, institutional capacity building and budget support, and advocacy for the Liberian children. Establishment The Liberian Children’s Education Fund is a public trust fund, operated as a non-profit organization. It was established in 1999, in the United States of America, by a group of Liberians and friends of Liberia who have resolved to reawaken and refocus the spirits of their fellow compatriots around a common vision and purpose of educational investment in the Liberian children. Administration A Board administers the Fund through an Executive Coordinator and a corps of Area Coordinators in selected cities in the U. S. and in Liberia, and a core volunteer professional staff.

An Advisory Board, comprising eminent persons and heads of prominent institutions that have significantly impacted the socio-economic growth and development of Liberia, helps to raise and guide the administration of the Fund. At-Risk Indicators -A functionally illiterate population (75%) -General apathy to education -Limited government support and commitment to public education -Damaged educational i n frastructure/fac i 1 i ties -Acute shortage of basic educational resources -Lack of public and school libraries/reading rooms -Acute shortage of trained administrators, teachers and school counselors -Poor evaluation standards and accountability -High professional brain drain -Lack of incentives for teachers’ economic survival and professional development -Highly traumatized and restless youth

population -A critical state of poverty and dependency -High rate of juvenile delinquency and school dropout -Lack of school and community support network -A continuing threat of civil war and other social conflicts Why Support The Fund Liberians have long yearned for a common vision and purpose around which they can collectively pool their resources. That vision lies in the legacy of the father of the Liberian nation, President Joseph Jenkins Roberts, who insured the future of Liberia, through his final will and testament and the current work of the J.J. Roberts Educational Foundation in Liberia; This is an allLiberian vision, which only requires a credible leadership; we pledge to provide that leadership; The present and future stability and development of Liberia lies in the quality of investment that we make now in the education of its children and youth; Liberians at home, especially our children, have

business investors and local community-based grass root organizations, non- profit organizations, and professional institutions who provide expertise in conflict resolution and peace building, community basic and civic education, drug prevention education and rehabilitation and psychological rehabilitation, and local leadership development;

By H. Momo Fahnbulleh always had an abiding faith in fellow Liberians abroad, particularly those in the Americas, for inspiration and leadership for the development of Liberia; The U.S. possesses the resources and capacity to help reconstruct Liberia, provided Liberians develop the collective will to seize and utilize the opportunities and resources available. An organized body such as the Liberian Children’s Education Fund, with a clear vision and purpose, is a first viable step; Liberia already provides the institutional foundation and capacity to efficiently utilize financial, material and technical resource assistance from the United States.

Programs

The Fund sponsors the following programs among others: * Family/community literacy and empowerment ^Educational Facility Rehabilitation and Construction, ^Research. Training/Retraining, and

Scholarship

^Educational Support Services