Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the current political situation in Liberia?

A peace agreement was signed in August, 2003. In November, 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-educated former Liberian government official, was elected president in an election deemed fair by most independent observers.

Currently a United Nations peacekeeping force is present in Monrovia, Liberia's capital city, and electricity has been restored to part of the city for the first time in 10 years. U.N. peacekeeping troops are present throughout the country; there is a U.N. presence in Grand Bassa County, in which Family of Hope's pilot project, the Zondo school, is located. Liberia's political situation has largely stabilized, although the U.N. voted in September 2008 to extend troop presence in Liberia at least through September 2009.

August 2009: Tensions rose in Grand Bassa County last year when Liberian Agricultural Company (LAC) attempted expansion against the desires of many local residents. A Belgian manager of LAC was murdered in November 2007; court proceedings in the case have not yet resumed. Although residents of Zondo and nearby villages experienced harassment related to the 2007 events, the relationship between LAC and local residents is much improved now. LAC completed a motor road from their land to Zondo in 2008, cleared a level playing field next to the Zondo school, and sent a representative to the school's 2009 year-end ceremony. top

2. What is the current economic situation in Liberia?

Since the war, the economy has not recovered. Unemployment is extremely high. The iron-ore mining operations that provided the bulk of public sector revenues have ceased. Attempts by ArcelorMittal to resume mining in Nimba County are on hold in 2009 due to the global econmic crisis. Although rubber production, which contributed about 15% of foreign exchange earnings, is slowly increasing, its contribution to national disposable income remains low. Most rubber workers are unskilled with low pay.

According to an August, 2009 New York Times interview with President Sirleaf, the average pay of a public worker has been raised to $80.00 (U.S.) per month. The average Liberian's annual income in 2009 was $500.00, according to the CIA Factbook. top

3. What is the current educational situation in Liberia?

A 1912 Liberian law made primary education both free and compulsory. Unfortunately, this law has never been implemented. The statistics are grim. A 1999 UNICEF-sponsored study by Subah-Belleh and Associates, Impact of Under Development and Armed Conflict on Children in Liberia-A Situational Assessment and Analysis provides these details:

• Although approximately 1.3 million Liberians are 0-15 years old, only 507,192 students are enrolled in primary schools.
• The average literacy rate is below 30%.
• Literacy rates for women are below the national average.
• Virtually all primary and secondary schools have no laboratories, no libraries and no recreational facilities.
• A large number of educational facilities-public, private, and religious-were destroyed, and most have not been restored. Although a small number of private, tuition-based schools are available, very few families can afford the fees due to the current economic situation. top

4. Does Family of Hope (FOH) have official government support?

A sister organization, Family of Hope, Inc. (Liberia) is registered as an official NGO (non-government organization) in Liberia. Government support of the project is crucial. The need for free primary education and counseling is apparent to all Liberians, both inside and outside of government. Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has been quoted as saying, "The education sector will drive the development of the country; this will move Liberia into the new Millennium … The education system over the last 14 years of civil war … really has been decimated; schools have been destroyed; there’s a huge lack of teachers and teacher training institutions.”

All levels of government, from the national Ministry of Education to the town elders of target sites, are involved. FOH board member met with the Liberian Minister of Education in January 2007; he praised the Zondo school as a model for school buildings and as a model for NGO involvement. The town elders of Zondo have supported the school in a number of ways. top

5. Where will the Family of Hope schools be located?

The schools will be widely-spaced in accessible rural Liberian townships. Selection criteria include:

• An existing building suitable for school use, or a school site
• The presence of a school before the civil war
• The lack of a school currently
• A high level of community commitment

Experienced educational service providers, along with the executive director of Family of Hope, will visit and evaluate potential sites. A team visited Zondo in March, 2004, and the first school opened there in 2006.

top

6. How many schools will there be?

Our goal is to operate four schools. The actual number depends on a variety of factors. Funding and community involvement must be in place for each school before it opens. top

7. How will students be chosen?

Returning refugee and rural children will form the student body. Each school will offer kindergarten through sixth grade. In addition, teachers may choose to provide Grade 7-9 and adult education as well.

Community leaders will identify eligible children. The school will contain:

• Children in the school's community who are not attending a tuition-based school.
• Children who have psychological problems resulting from their war experiences.
• Children suffering direct consequences of war.
• Approximately 50% of the student body will be females from the above categories. In the past, girls were discouraged from attending school; every effort will be made to provide education for this generation.

Each school will begin operation with classes for students aged 5-10. After several months of successful operation, the school will add classes for older learners. FOH anticipates that none of the students will have previous formal educational experience.

As people return to their rural communities, the number of children eligible for the school grows. For example, the Zondo school had 261 eligible students in 2004; now the school serves nearly 400 students. top

8. What will be taught?

A curriculum approved by the Liberian government provides instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic. Many textbooks are donated from the U.S. One quarter of the school day is scheduled for subjects such as basic heath and nutrition. Bible instruction is an integral part of the academic curriculum. top

9. How will the wounds of war be healed?

Counseling material has been developed by a team of grief and trauma specialists in Liberia. A trained counselor works with students in need, and Bible instruction and prayer are an integral part of each child's program. top

10. Who will teach, and how will FOH support these teachers?

There are many employable teachers in Liberia, but their past education has not fully prepared them for postwar conditions and the needs of traumatized children. Additional training for these teachers is vital to the success of the schools. FOH will work with teacher-training organizations to refresh the teachers' skills. Not only will the teachers be given tools and techniques for educational methods, they will be trained to provide these tools to other teachers. At the Zondo school, there are currently more than 15 teachers. top

11. How will the schools be evaluated?

Schools will be accountable to Family of Hope, Inc. through Family of Hope, Inc. (Liberia). Regular reports will be submitted to the FOH board as well as to the Liberian Ministry of Education. Evaluation tools will include, but not be limited to, site inspections, attendance records, academic progress, and community involvement. Academic exams and counseling questionnaires developed by educational experts will be given to students when the school begins and at regular intervals to assess student progress. top

12. What is the timetable for the school project?

The first FOH school, in Zondo, opened in 2006. The principal of the Zondo school organized community support and made plans for the training of teachers and counselors, the selection of students, and construction of the school building.

Fundraising remains a priority; adequate funds to pay Zondo school staff will be required for several years still. Site-assessment for the next school in the will begin when sufficient funding is in place. We anticipate funding each school for a five-year period. top

13. Can the schools become self-sustaining?

The teacher and counselor training programs will enable new staff to be trained and supported by those with FOH school experience.

In addition, the presence of the school will encourage displaced residents to return to their rural community. Resources and training for fruit and vegetable cultivation, provided by other NGOs working within the schools' communities, can eventually provide for the schools' financial independence.

Once the schools achieve this status, Family of Hope, Inc. plans to remain an active contributor to the Liberian schools through a student scholarship program. top

14. What is Family of Hope's vision for Liberia?

We ultimately believe that by making holistic, Christian education available to a generation of children devastated by war, a cycle of violence and despair will be broken, and hope will come to Liberia. top