Kids Build Their Own School

by Greg Buzek

Kids build their own school addition in Liberia

You’ve all heard the old adage, “Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  Well those words could not be more apropos with the latest update from one our projects in Liberia.

In 2012, thanks to the support of SuperSaturday by HP and Intel, RetailROI paid for a new school to be built with partner LifeSong in Marshall, Liberia.  This was the only k-8 school for 30 miles in the country at the time.

In 2015, in the midst of the Ebola crisis RetailROI helped fund a vocational training program for the 96 kids in care in the areas of construction, computer skills, interior decorating, and cosmetology.

This year the construction program took on another level as two engineers held classes every day during the summer school break, and now twice a week during the school year, where 14 students have been learning skills in brick making, brick laying, concrete mixing, roofing and other experiences.  In a country with 80% unemployment, these skills are critical for a better future.

But this training is much more than meets the eye. Not only are these orphaned boys learning new, employable skills, but they are being mentored, loved, and encouraged to take active steps toward building a future that will break the poverty cycle.

Their hard work and learning has already allowed them to successfully construct an annex to the current school building on the Marshall campus, including eight new classrooms.  This building will house additional classes, a library, and several offices for the school and a new computer lab that RetailROI is bringing on our trip next month.

We are so thankful for your support of SuperSaturday and RetailROI.  Together we are making a HUGE difference.