PAYNESVILLE, Montserrado – Students Aid Liberia, a local non-for-profit organization in Paynesville will launch its second annual scholarship fund drive today, August 20.

The organization’s founder and executive director, George Washington, said the drive is aimed at raising funds to provide scholarships and material aid to less privileged youths to go to school.

Washington said his organization is aiming to raise more than US$2,000 in cash and educational materials.

“Right now, we have about 200 young people benefitting from our programs. We want to raise the number to at least 500,” he said.

He said 60 percent of beneficiaries are girls. “We believe that when you educated a girl child, you have educated an entire nation,” he added.

According to him, students benefitting from his organization’s programs are attending high schools and universities in and around Monrovia.

He disclosed further beneficiaries of the program are in three categories. “Young people whose parents cannot afford to send them to school, those who need aid such as text books and scholars who maintain 80 percent average and above,” he explained.

In 2014, Washington said the organization held its first scholarship fund drive and raised nearly US$2,000 and partnered with the Africa Care Foundation, World Tuberculosis and the Aids Organization to send at least 200 young people to school.

Currently, he said getting additional money to provide stipend for field volunteers remains a serious challenge to the organization. “More than 20 young people are volunteering for the organization,” he noted.

He added however that the willingness of people to support the organization’s initiatives is a great achievement.

Several prominent Liberian citizens, including Samuel Enders, the founder of the African Dream Academy, are expected to attend the fund drive on Saturday.

Featured photo courtesy of Julien Harneis