A three – day National Orphans Empowerment (NOE) summit 2018 by the Orphans Concern Liberia has been launched in Liberia.According to the Chief Executive Officer of Orphans Concern, Amos M. Sawboh, two years ago they conceived the idea of bringing together adult orphans across Liberia to talk about issues they are faced with as they transition to independent living.
Serving as Chief Convener at the ceremony at YMCA, Mr. Sawboh says they piloted the summit at the Calvary Mission in Kebbah (Montserrado County).According to him, for the first time they brought 32 adult orphans under one roof that included orphans of Ebola to talk about their transition.
Speaking at the launch Thursday, 13 December at the YMCA,Mr. Sawboh said the pilot of this summit saw the passion with which adult can share those challenges and prospect into transitioning.
He notes that the summit allowed young adult talked about how they find transitioning as a very difficult thing especially since almost all the orphanages have no transitional plan.According to him, the participants explained how most of their friends have no understanding of life outside the orphanages and family homes.
He continues that the most possible option for them is that the first person encountered has the biggest influence on their life.Sawboh reveals that many, especially females become mother after the first few months, adding that due to their lack of understanding of caring for a child, they feel left out.
In this case, he says the adult orphans would end up going back to the orphanages upon giving birth to a child.For her part, Assistant Gender Minister Mamina Carr encourages young people to be focused and pay attention to their lesson because they don’t know who they will become in the future.
By Bridgett Milton–Edited by Winston W. Parley
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