By Davidetta Togba Cassell | Executive Director & Project Lead
Germinating Every Mind-Liberia (GEM-Liberia) and the Jennifer Albee Enrichment School (JAES) extend their profound gratitude to GlobalGiving and all our generous donors for their continuous support to the girls of Liberia.
GEM- Liberia is pleased to present its quarterly report. The periodic report is part of our commitment to GlobalGiving and donors. This period's report covers from May 22-Sept. 14, 2025.
Huge Milestones
Since May we completed a successful academic year and graduated our first batch of students to the senior high division. Those seven (7) excellent students have been enrolled into five (5) notable institutions. Two of the girls have taken class presidents positions in their new schools based on their academic performances during the first two weeks of schools commencement.
The school also graduated six (6) six graders and four (4) nursery division students.
Academic Excellence
How a child succeeds in their education ahead is built on the foundation they acquire during their Early Childhood Education. Therefore, we continue to prioritize our learners including those at the beginner level. There is evidence that our beginners can independently identify letters and use their motor skills.
Participation in a Regional Education Training
JAES was recognized by Edify, a non-governmental organization to participate in a one-day seminar on the importance of strengthening Liberia’s Educational System. The training was meant to build partnership with schools that are promoting the rights of learners in an innovative way, rather than using antiquated systems.
Commencement of the New Academic Year 2025/ 2026
JAES has commenced preparation for 2025/2026 academic year. We have erected a new signpost, painted, and renovated the school facility. Registration is ongoing. Classes official commence by September 22, 2025.
Maintaining Our Vision
While girls’ education is our key focus, for a variety of reasons, the school has decided to incorporate boys in the school at the beginner level. Our families value the quality education their girls are receiving at JAES and want the same for their sons. While they may have access to other schools, most don’t offer vocational and skills training along with the academic program that JAES has. As those boys leave secondary schools, they become an added economic burden to their parents and society until they achieve a full college education and can find a job. If this problem is not given attention now, our girls will tomorrow have a society where the girls will be overburdened by family financial issues.
To provide a solution, we will gradually enroll boys into the junior high level after they have gone through our elementary division where they will be taught about how to uphold and respect the rights of girls as developmental partners. That means that the junior high level will maintain an all-girls enrollment this academic year. However, in the next school year, the school will enroll only boys who graduate from the Grade-6 class of the Jennifer Albee Enrichment School during this school year. Eighth and 9th grade classes will remain all-girls, not accepting boys from other schools. The goal is to have boys who will be fashioned in a model of promoting and respecting girls’ rights.
Girls will continue to be given priority in our scholarship programs to be sure they maintain access to education. The safety of all our students is always top of mind. Safe spaces will be secured at the school including a special bathroom only for girls and separate hygiene sessions for the boys and girls.
Our goal has always been to improve education opportunities for the children of Liberia and create a society that values and encourages our girls to live to their full potential. By integrating boys into the school, we aim to raise men and support families who share this vision for generations to come.
Conclusion
We are gratitude to everyone who has placed in their resources to reach our project to the level we are at. Thanks to GlobalGiving for affording us the space for such wonderful fundraising opportunity.
With gratitude,
Davidetta Togba Cassell
Executive Director & Project Lead
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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