The Ambassador Stephene Audrey Scholarship Program in Liberia has extended its scholarship from University studies to primary and secondary school education, asserting that excellence begins long before graduation.
The initiator and sponsor of the human resource empowerment initiative, Ambassador Stephene Audrey Kpoto made the disclosure over the weekend when she engaged members of the Slipway Community, where she stressed the need for women and girls’ empowerment.
With that firm statement, she announced that the initiative, which has already supported more than 50 university students in just six months, will now extend to junior and senior high school students — targeting more than 100 grade school beneficiaries.
“This is not just growth,” she emphasized. “It is a strategic investment in potential, purpose, and promise.”
According to her, waiting until university to nurture leadership is too late. By identifying talent earlier, the program aims to build a disciplined pipeline of scholars who are not only academically strong but ethically grounded and nationally conscious.
“We are shaping thinkers, readers, and future nation-builders, but scholarships alone cannot transform a society.”
Kpoto asserted that “Education opens doors, but empowerment sustains the journey,” highlighting the program’s deepening engagement with communities through Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA).
She said through savings culture, financial literacy, and small enterprise support, women and youth are being equipped to withstand economic shocks and build sustainable livelihoods. “When you empower a household economically, you restore dignity,” she said.
In furtherance, the Ambassador averred that recent community entry and needs assessment uncovered sobering realities, open defecation due to a lack of latrines, poor waste management systems, limited access to safe drinking water, and rising unemployment among women and youth. “We cannot ignore these conditions and expect excellence,” she stated. “Transformation must be holistic from the classroom to the community.”
She turned commitment into concrete pledges.
“We will provide two hand pumps to improve access to safe drinking water,” she announced.
She further committed to structured livelihood and microfinance initiatives for women and youth, scholarships for junior and senior high school students, and financial aid for at least 20–30 elementary school children. “These are not words for applause,” she said firmly. “They are commitments to action.”
Directly addressing young people, her message was both motivational and uncompromising. “Knowledge is power. Readers become leaders,” she declared. “Step up. Read widely. Discipline your mind. Your future will not be defined by where you come from, but by how prepared you are.”
She also made clear that opportunity carries responsibility. “Scholarships are awarded to scholars,” she stressed. “Academic performance and character matter. Excellence is not accidental — it is earned.” While acknowledging the increasing number of students seeking assistance, she urged them to remain committed to hard work and integrity.
“The future of Liberia is bright,” the Ambassador concluded. “And we are shaping it — one scholar, one family, one community at a time.”
