Volunteer trip to Liberia
My name is Bridget B. Warlea, I was born in Monrovia, Liberia. My family and I immigrated to the United States in 2000 to escape the Civil War. My dream has always been to go back home and make a difference by teaching others what I've learned. Often times I think, what if I were one of those girls? What if I stayed in Liberia and felt the repercussions of the Civil War? According to GirlUp, a United Nations Foundation, in Liberia more than 40% of girls ages 10-14 have never gone to school. Unfortunately young girls often fall victim of the most frequently reported crime in Liberia, rape. For the last ten years, three fourths of patients in Liberian hospitals have been rape victims and the majority of them have been children.
Throughout my life I've grown up aware of the things that Liberian females go through and this has driven me even more to aspire to be an image of change. The non-profit organization that I will volunteer with, "More than Me", works to get girls off the street and into school. They work with community leaders to identify the girls who are at the highest risk of being sexually exploited to ensure that education and opportunity, not exploitation and poverty, will define their lives. "More Than Me" pays tuition, provides school lunch and works with leaders in the community to make it impossible for girls to fail. As a direct result, 10% of of the "More Than Me" girls are 1st in their class! "More Than Me" understands and lauds the opportunities that education brings. It is no secret that education can break the cycle of oppression, poverty, and distress.
Before the Civil War that began in 1989 until 2003, Liberia had over 2,400 schools. After 2003, Liberia only had about 480 remaining.Interestingly, the creation of schools and education for young girls wouldn't only contribute to their own safety and welfare, it would also contribute to the success of their family and the economy.Statistically, when a girl in the developing world receives 7 or more years of education, she marries 4 years later and has 2.2 fewer children. An extra year of primary school boosts girls' eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. An extra year of secondary school: 15 to 25 percent. When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man.
I believe that "More Than Me" will grant me the opportunity to positively affect one or even more young girls that don't know of their potential. I believe that "More Than Me" will allow me to not only change the lives of girls just like myself, but also change myself for the better with the knowledge and experiences that I will learn through this experience. When you support me, you will be supporting all of the young women in Liberia that need a chance. The costs that I need to cover for this trip are: a plane ticket, and room and board. I received a grant to cover the cost of the plane ticket, I am just $16oo away from my goal. The $1600 will give me room and board in Liberia for 4 weeks. Any amount is appreciated but please be generous and please share this link.
