Support Liberian Adult Education

After eighteen months of being shut down due to a lack of funding, the Imani House Liberia Literacy Program is celebrating the reopening of one of its two literacy class sites; VOA Literacy Center. Our St. Mary’s School Literacy Center remains closed due to inadequate funding. Thanks to a one year grant from Plenty International and the determined efforts of Executive Director Mrs. Bisi Ideraabdullah and Liberia Literacy Coordinator Mr. C. Wiah James, our VOA site classes officially resumed on September 15, 2025. The reopening is a testament to the organization's unwavering belief in the foundational importance of literacy, which it views not just as a means to a degree but as an essential life skill. Despite being able to reopen only one of its two centers, the Imani House team pressed forward, demonstrating their deep commitment to empowering the community through education and upholding their vision of a literate Liberia. This moment is not only a celebration for the students and tutors at the VOA Center but also a renewal of hope for the broader community, affirming that basic education remains a top priority for Imani House, regardless of the challenges faced.

Drawing on her deeply personal story of resilience, Madam Massa Kanwah has become a beacon of inspiration for adult learners in VOA. After a past marked by sacrifice and heartbreak, which saw her support a former husband's education only to be abandoned because of her own lack of schooling, Madam Kanwah has seized a new opportunity at the age of 40. Her lifelong vision of attending school is now a reality at the VOA center, proving that it is never too late to pursue one's dreams. Her courage to enroll in classes has not only transformed her own life but has also galvanized her community, demonstrating a powerful commitment to personal growth and educational empowerment.

Your support is encouraged and needed.  Our annual literacy budget for the two centers totals 1,500.00 (750.00 per center) which includes tutors’ salaries, utilities, and teaching supplies. The students provide some support towards generator operation and maintenance while the communities provide a space for the classes. Limited resources have unfortunately meant that would be beneficiaries at St. Mary’s site eager to improve their literacy skills are unable to access the support they need. To make a meaningful impact and offer vital education to everyone seeking it, we need your help to cover essential costs such as tutor salaries, facility maintenance, and teaching materials. Your contribution, no matter the size, will directly support individuals on their educational journey, opening doors to better opportunities and empowering them to build a brighter future for themselves and their nation.  With classes now underway, the program is nurturing a new generation of literate adults, proving that seemingly overwhelming life challenge obstacles cannot dampen the community's determination to learn and build a brighter future for themselves and their families. 

Thank you for your moral and financial support in considering our appeal.

Links:

• http://imani@imanihouse.org

Warm greetings from Imani House Inc.,

While we are happy to report that most of our programs in USA and Liberia are surviving and making impact among marginalized communities, we regret to inform you of our continued challenge to sustain our goal of providing free adult literacy classes.  The ability to read and write is so vital to improving the quality of life for people around the world.  We are proud of our 30+ year impact in Liberia and are struggling with our inability to keep our classes open.  Regrettably, our 2024/25 school year literacy classes were placed on a temporary hold due to lack of funds to sustain the monthly cost of $270.00 which supports stipends for our five literacy tutors, operate our standby generators and pay electrical bills.

We still have forty six learners who are eagerly standing by to enroll and we are hopeful of raising $2,160.00 to enable us reopen next school year (November through July 2025/26). We are happy to share news that a follow-up of our literacy learners who graduated last August proves our need to stay the course in providing free educational opportunities for people seeking to improve their quality of life which always trickle down to improving the overall society.

Some of our 2024 graduates have significantly improved their markets while others have entered short term technical skill training courses to enable multiple streams of income and services in their communities. In a country of 4.5 million people where seventy percent of the population earns less than $700.00 annually, the adult literacy rate is 47%. Prevailing economic realities constrains most families to prioritize meager financial resources. Food and shelter are inescapable staples, thus making education very low on the list of a family’s priorities.

Liberians who are now marginalized can create a better future for Liberia if groups like ours participate in helping them move forward through literacy.

We need your support now more than ever and we appreciate all of you for standing by and supporting us. For more information about IMANI HOUSE, please visit our Web site: 

IMANI HOUSE, INC. – Building Community Through Education, Information, Health, and Service.