Monrovia
Liberia, January 21, 2021 - Tuan
Wreh Institute and KDE Disability Africa Foundation (non-profit organization headquartered in the USA)
opened a vocational training school (accredited by the Ministry of Education)
to provide tuition free opportunities for people living with physical
disabilities, and scholarships for vulnerable young women in Liberia. The
school which is currently benefitting 21 people living with disabilities held a
grand opening, ribbon cutting and gifting ceremony on December 12, 2020 where
trainees are being taught fashion design, tailoring, computer literacy and
graphic design. The center includes a Clothing production unit and fashion
boutique that provides apprenticeship and employment for the TWI / KDE
students.
Speaking at the launch via Zoom from the United States, the Executive
Director of KDE Disability Africa Foundation, Madam Kimma Wreh said there are
enormous problems people who are physically challenged face, and her
foundation's support is to help ensure that the lives of people living with
disabilities are transformed and improved. “We believe that only in working
together, we can truly address income inequality, poverty, and the
marginalization of the most vulnerable members of our society. Let me quote the
words of Nelson Mandela “We can change the world and make it a better place. It
is in your hands to make a difference.” stated Wreh.
The Tuan Wreh Institute and the KDE Disability Africa Foundation have
been at the forefront of the battle against the cycle of poverty, income
inequality, and the marginalization of unprotected and helpless Africans. The
sister organizations are on a mission to help the downtrodden, dis-advantaged,
dis-enfranchised and vulnerable members of Liberia's society. TWI and KDE
believe that education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty, gender, and
income inequality, pathway to true independence.
Kimma Wreh is passionate about empowering marginalized girls and young
women who frequently lag behind male counterparts due to disabilities, school
dropouts, social stigmas and poverty. “We believe that poverty and income
inequality is not simply a problem of money. It is a problem of unequal
opportunities because not everyone was born with the same opportunity to go to
school. Not everyone was born of parents who have stable income. Some, and
unfortunately, many were born only to struggle. Someone has to lift them up and
advocate for them…It is for this reason that TWI and KDE came to be.” said
Wreh.
The Tuan Wreh Institute, in partnership with KDE Disability Africa has
helped hundreds of vulnerable girls and young women, out of school and
unemployed adults, people with disabilities, orphans and abandoned children, by
providing practical skills training in fashion design, computer literacy, and
graphics design. The skills training will one day, enable them to land a job or
start their own businesses. This is how TWI and KDE envision to fight the cycle
of poverty among our fellow brothers and sisters in Liberia.
Also speaking at the event, the Representative of Montserrado County,
District #6, Samuel R. Enders donated usage of a 16-seater van to commute
students to and from school. He applauded the KDE Disability Africa Foundation
for providing opportunities that will enable people living with physical
disabilities to achieve their dreams. KDE / TWI gifted Rep. Enders with a
wooden plaque representing the 16 tribes of Liberia and the seal of the
Republic of Liberia.
Rep. Enders shared his struggles growing up because of bullying and
ridicule having not attended school until he was a teenager. He reminded the
students that they were physically but not mentally disabled. "I want to
encourage you to look inside yourself, when you are weak, look at the
foundation which brought you. When you feel tired and something is holding you
down, look at yourself and say you can make it." Rep. Enders urged the
beneficiaries.
Other
speakers included Amb. Bill Rogers (Bill Rogers Youth Foundation) and Chief Dr.
Quinton Tamba Taylor de’Alexander (We Dream In Color Foundation) who likewise
provided inspiring and motivating words to both the students and guests in
attendance. Bill Rogers, a recipient of the "Nelson Mandela Freedom Award
2020", shared how he suffered a physical disability during the Liberian
civil war. Despite this obstacle, Rogers is an international Liberian marathon
runner, an inspiration to the physically challenged students of the training
center.
For
her part, Ms. Sarah Wallace, commended the foundation for opening the first
disability vocational school in Liberia and said she was inspired to attend
since she was unemployed. She revealed that after her graduation, she wants to
be self-reliant to help support her family and impact other's lives.
Madam
Wreh is self-financing an expansion of the new training center during the
pandemic at a great personal sacrifice and she is kindly appealing to
humanitarian organizations to sponsor the students. While the students are
willing to make use of the opportunities, she says the lack of affordable
transportation to commute them to and from school is a significant stumbling
block to their learning process.
##
Press Release by Excel Global Media Group ##
Contact Information
Phone
(Liberia): 0778138952, 0886388812 | (USA): +1 832 483 4864
Email
(Liberia): twikdelib@gmail.com | (USA): kdedisability@gmail.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tuanwrehinstitute
Website:
www.TuanWrehInstitute.org | www.kdedisabilityafrica.org
