By Innis, Grand Bassa
BUCHANAN–The Initiative for the Development-of Former Child Soldiers(IDEFOCS) has provided free education for drug users Kids in Grand Bassa.
The Executive Director of IDEFOCS, Mr. Morris Matadi said over 200 kids are currently benefiting from their free school program in the County.
According to Mr. Matadi, One of his late Social Entrepreneurship Mentor, Tom Suddes from the Colorado University always told he that as a Social Entrepreneur should always think very big about any business or project you want to create but start very small and Now stating
With many years working with former child soldiers and drug users rehabilitation and reintegration from Ghetto communities, they have realized that there was something very important that was missing in their program and that was the children these former child soldiers and drug users are burning without access to education and living status.
Mr. Matadi said, In 2018 they developed educational program called: “After School Program (ASP)” to provide basic primary and secondary education as a study class for kids whose parents are former child soldiers and drug users.
“we started with seven kids and after two years, the numbers of the kids grew to 135 students, he added.”
He lamented that In 2021, they established a full school system called ” RILO Foundation Educational School System ( RIFES), the school from ABC to 6 grade and have over 235 kids with 13 teachers attending the school for free, but with many challenges to pay teachers, test books and uniforms for the kids.
“To always try to pay our volunteer teachers, we established sustainable business strategy; a desktop publishing and stationaries shop, he added.
Mr. Matadi told reporters that they have observed that many of the drug users in the County have abandoned their family and kids.
According to Mr. Matadi, their focus is on the restoration of peace and security through the rehabilitation and reintegration with employment opportunity of former child soldiers, women associated with fighting forces and other youth in ghetto communities.
He used the medium to appeal to humanitarian to help parents of the kids to purchase their uniforms.
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