KEEP Founder and Executive Director Brenda Brewer Moore (left) shakes hands with ULOUK Secretary General Fidel C.T. Budy after signing a memorandum of understanding in June to work together to support the educational needs of young Liberians

The Union of Liberian Organisations in the UK (ULOUK) is collecting children books and toys for donation to reading rooms in three counties in Liberia.

The project, according to a release issued last month, was announced by the union during programs it held for the celebration of Liberia’s 170th independence anniversary.

ULOUK plans to present the items in December to a local non-governmental organization, the Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) for distribution at its facilities in Montserrado, Gbarpolu and Grand Gedeh counties.

The aim of the project is to support the work of KEEP in improving the literacy of children across Liberia.

In a text message to Nordic Africa News, KEEP’s founder and executive director Brenda Brewer Moore said her organisation is “excited to partner with ULOUK in promoting reading with kids in Liberia.

“The advancement of Liberia can be done with collective efforts of Liberians both at home and in the diaspora. Currently KEEP has four reading rooms, and books obtained from the organization in the UK will go a long way in helping us stock the various rooms. We also intend to open two more within the next four months.”

In another development, KEEP is thrilled to announce the dedication of its largest facility to date, a Community Learning Resource Center (CLRC) in Bopolu District, Gbarpolu County, says the executive director.

The center was made possible through funding from the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and its partner TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA (TGSN).

The CLRC, powered by solar energy, contains a mini library, computer laboratory which has 10 computers, vocational skills training room, office and space for a one-stop shop for secretarial, copier, printing and desktop publishing services at the cost of $51,360.

Gbarpolu is a county that has been consistently ranked low on the overall education ladder in Liberia, with many of the schools in the county stopping only at elementary level.

The county currently only has three high schools which are several hours’ drive apart, leaving thousands of students who are unable to access these schools stopping in 6th or 9th grades. There is no computer training center available. Access to vocational training centers is grossly limited, leaving many residents with the options of engaging in alluvial mining or sustenance farming activities.