GVL contributes US$100,000 to agriculture scholarship

Golden Veroleum Liberia has donated US$100,000 to the Ministry of Agriculture as its annual scholarship contribution to deserving Liberian agricultural students.

A GVL press release issued in Monrovia says the amount was presented Friday, Oct. 9th, at the Ministry in Gardnersville on the outskirt of Monrovia, bringing to US$600,000 that has been contributed by the company since 2010 as a way of encouraging and assisting students pursuing agriculture studies.

According to the release, more than 1,400 individual scholarship packages have been distributed to students through the Ministry of Agriculture, in co-operation with five leading Liberian institutions of higher learning, including Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County; the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Cuttington University in Bong County, the Booker Washington Institute Kakata, Margibi County, and the United Methodist University in Monrovia, respectively.

“This donation today demonstrates GVL’s commitment towards the improvement of Liberia’s human resource capacity and an investment in human capital,” said Jean Hannah-Thompson, GVL senior manager career and education programs.

Besides the scholarship program, the company has constructed an elementary school at its Sinoe County farm site, which currently educates approximately 650 pupils. GVL has also partnered with various organizations, including Building Markets and International Education Liberia to train staff of community radio station in the county, and to provide computer and mathematic workshops to area elementary and high school students.

“What we are trying to do is play a part in the rebuilding of our society,” said GVL spokesperson, Stephen Binda. “These contributions toward Liberia’s educational uplift will not only do that, but will also contribute directly toward building a professional management cadre, which is not a short process. We are looking long-term to make this happen.” Press Release