MONROVIA-The Youth Network for Reform, (YONER-Liberia), a Liberian social enterprise and tech-education learning accelerator reimagining education and employability through social entrepreneurship, higher education management and tech innovation Friday, July 22, 2022, officially launched a month-long mentorship institute for young girls across Liberia to apply for SHE-CAN’s 2023 full-ride college scholarship to the United States of America.
The mentor program that is done in partnership with Supporting Her Education Changes A Nation (SHE-CAN) is seeking for young Liberian women to join a fully funded scholarship and leadership program in the United States of America.
Both Jarius Andrew Greaves, founder and executive director of YONER-Liberia and Barbara Bylenga, SHE-CAN executive director in a join-press release disclosed that they intend to host information sessions, about the scholarship and mentoring program across Bong, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba Counties that will enable participants get selected and admitted in various universities in the United States of America.
Greaves said, “Since 2018, YONER has supported and closely worked with SHE-CAN to identify students for the program.”
He added that since then, 20 young women from Liberia have been successfully selected for the program, and 9 are now in the United States of America growing their leadership capacity before they return home to make an impact in their communities.
Greaves added that “This August 2022 an additional five (5) young women will be traveling to the United States to begin their studies, and 6 more will submit their college applications by the end of the year”
Bylenga said, “SHE-CAN is an American Non-for- profit organization with the mission to build female leadership in post-conflict countries by equipping and empowering young women with the education, mentorship, and leadership skills needed to change their nations and the world.”
“Since 2011,” Bylenga said, “SHE-CAN has helped 83 scholars from Rwanda, Liberia, and Cambodia win over $21m in full-ride scholarships and enroll into some of America’s best universities and colleges, growing their leadership capacity before they return home to Liberia to make an impact in their communities.”
Bylenga disclosed that ideal candidates for the SHE-CAN program are female scholars aged 17-20, from low-income backgrounds, who have strong communication skills and strong academics, adding, “they should graduate from high school by January 2023. The most outstanding candidates will have already demonstrated potential to grow into a leader at home.”
This year, YONER-Liberia is supporting SHE-CAN in Liberia to recruit another batch of young Liberian women interested in applying to join the 2023 SHE-CAN scholarship program.