History

 

When launching the project we, the founders, realized that the best place to start is at the pre-primary and elementary levels where most girls do not have an opportunity to enroll in school because of the absence of education facilities and social and cultural practices.  We see the vision for girls’ education as a war against the high rate of illiteracy (85% and 90% , among women), high drop outs rate among women due to teenage pregnancy, early marriage, and traditional practices. The reality of post-war Liberia is that many of its young women have misunderstood their role, believing that the only way to pay for food and education is by selling the only commodity they own their bodies.  In Monrovia, our capital, an estimated 60% -80% of teenage girls want an education so much, they sell the only commodity they have their bodies to fund it.  We the founders of BOH are defending the rights of women and young girls because both Victoria’s mother and mine suffered emotional and psychological trauma and were humiliated because they lived in a society where culture has told them that educating girls will not yield any dividends.   They did not have the chance as young girls to make their own decisions as to what to choose or whom or when to get marry.

 

Moreover, education facilities and opportunities were not available.   The founders’ attitude was that the school was “a rescue mission and a massive outreach to prevent sexual exploitation against young girls. It was a way of closing the cultural disparity between girls and boys education in Liberia.