By: Patience Baye Koromah
Paynesville: The Liberia Learning Center (LLC), Liberia’s first one-stop center for tech innovation and cutting-edge public library service center, has been launched in Paynesville, marking a monumental step towards the advancement of education and development in Liberia.
Launched on Friday December 13, 2024, LLC is expected to provide modern public library services to learners at all academic levels in the country, including primary, secondary, undergraduate and post graduate levels. The center will also serve as a hub for tech innovation, providing young Liberian innovators the space to incubate ideas and transform those ideas into productive businesses.
The center will also provide recreational services to dozens of citizens with its naturally ventilated outdoor outfit, giving learners and parents the opportunity to zip in nature while at the center.
The LLC was borne out of the zest of a young Liberian, Leo Johnson, who is determined to make a change in his country, Liberia.
“As a child growing up in Liberia, I never had the experience of what a library looked like, but I developed a burning desire that no child should be allowed to go to school under the condition I experience in Liberia and in refugee camps in Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana for 8years,” Leo Johnson stated during the launching ceremony at the Effort Baptist Church in Paynesville.
Mr. Johnson explained that the dream to build a comprehensive learning center was borne out of his awful learning experiences while growing up as a refuge boy in the Ivory Coast.
“I remember studying at night by streetlights in front of the yards of people who could afford diesel generator. So, I set out on this journey to make sure that this was going to be a different reality with the dream of Liberia’s first comprehensive learning center,” he stated.
He believes that the LLC will improve education in Liberia and promote entrepreneurship through tech innovation among young Liberians.
As Leo Johnson joined partners and education stakeholders in opening the comprehensive learning center, student Samuel Sackie could not hold back his emotions as he hailed the future impact of the center on academic excellence in Liberia, especially in the host city, Paynesville. Student Sackie emphasized that the center not only provides a space for learning but also instills hope and a sense of belonging among the youth of Liberia.
In remarks on behalf of the partners, the chairperson of Empowerment Squared (Canada), Andrew Spurgeon expressed gratitude to the partners, donors, and supporters for making the Liberia Learning Center a reality. He described the center as a hub of opportunity for Liberians to learn, and contribute to the development of the country.
“Today we open the doors not only to the Liberian Learning Center, but to boundless opportunities for so many to learn, grow, and prosper,” he stated, “With every book read, computer used, or meeting covered in this building, there is hope that the people doing so will be able to learn new things, imagine a better future and build a better life for themselves, their families and their country.”
Also speaking, the chairperson of the Board of Directors of Empowerment Squared/ Liberia, Emmett L. Dunn, emphasized the transformative impact of the Liberia Learning Center on the academic community in Liberia and beyond. He praised the state-of-the-art facilities and educational resources that empower individuals to reach their full potential and contribute to society.
“It’s with great pride and deep appreciation that we the Board of Directors extend our heartfelt congratulations to our partners, local and global, on the official opening of the center. This monumental achievement is not just a celebration of our collective hard work and prospects of collaboration but commitment to education as well,” he stated.
The Liberia Learning Center is a collaborative project led by Canadian charity, Empowerment Squared in partnership with Rotary International, Rotary Club of Hamilton, Rotary Club of Monrovia, Paynesville City Corporation, mcCallumSather, and Hamilton Public Library, and Tri Buchanan Development Corp.
The Center will have multiple phases on the site of Paynesville City Hall including Liberia’s first postwar comprehensive learning center and library, co-working and business incubation spaces, sports and recreation facilities, and event facilities
Phase 1 of the Center, includes Liberia’s first postwar comprehensive learning center and library, and serves as a hub for personal and professional development with co-working and business incubation spaces. It will offer a wide range of services, including information literacy, educational programming, computer training, life skills, personal and career path development, and peer-to-peer mentorship.
The second phase will provide safe and well-equipped indoor recreational services, while phase 3 would witness a substantial transformation of the existing Paynesville Town Hall Conference Center into a modern and multi-functional space.
The Center will be an accessible resource for many community-based organizations and initiatives, empowering them to provide programs and services to the people of Liberia.
