Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

Economist, Ph.D. currently working at the Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, praises launch of our new web site, which highlights work done by THINK in Liberia. van der Kraaij previously specialized in economics of African countries, and taught at the University of Liberia in the 1970s. He regularly posts articles of Liberian interests on his blogger.

Both web site and blog are worth visiting, they merit to be added to your favorites. People like Rosana Schaack and her co-workers deserve our adminration and support, they are the builders of a new Liberia on the ruins of the old Liberia.

The plight of the victims of sexual violence should be a concern of us all. Whereas the victims need to be catered for, civil society, politicians and judges in particular should strive to bring to justice not only those responsible for these criminal and heinous acts, but also those responsible for creating an environment of lawlessness making these atrocities possible.

‘Let Justice Be Done To All’ (official Liberian motto ).

Rosana Schaack, director of THINK in Liberia,

was one of the 2010 recipients for the Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals by the University of Minnesota. Schaack was a student at the university (Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs Humphrey Fellow from 2008-2009)

In naming Ms. Rosana Schaack as a recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals, the selection committee cited her role as a public servant, her work to empower the poorest of the poor, and her mission to bring hope to those who need it most. She has made many invaluable contributions to Liberians as a leader, service provider and mentor. She has been a passionate voice for justice for the young women and children of emerging Liberia. She has dedicated her future to fight against gender-based violence and is held in the highest regard in her community and in civil society networks in Liberia and abroad…

The Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals is a University-wide award for alumni, former students, and friends of the University who have distinguished themselves in their post-university work as leaders in their professional careers.

…Individuals will have attained unusual distinction as professionals in their careers within institutions or in public service and have either demonstrated sustained outstanding achievement and leadership, or demonstrated promise of such on a local, national, or international level.

Second Lady, Madam Katumu Boakai, is a very lovely lady

and made it known to us by coming to our program. Her outfit was made by the disabled people she works with known as the Group of ‘77. The color and design are truly nice. The group of ‘77 was started when President William R. Tolbert paid a visit to Ethiopia in 1977 and saw industrious things disabled people were doing there. When he returned to Liberia, the Group of ‘77 was founded and has been chaired by the office of the Vice President with the office of the Second Lady based there on Newport Street.

Here are a few more highlights from my trip to Egypt where I attended a conference on Adolescent Girls Advocacy Leadership Initiative sponsored by the UN Adolescent Girls Program. We were a delegation of six persons from Liberia, from local NGOs.

On Sunday we went to the Alexandria Library, and also visited a museum in the lower level of the library. The library is a beautiful and modern place with state-of-the-art equipment. There is so much history in Egypt; what a great honor to be able to see some of the sites.

Global Giving will be matching funds for our project at 50% of whatever you contribute… sure would appreciate your support today… even $10 will be matched at an additional $5 So follow this LINK or

Push one of the the BUTTONS

On May 30th, we were honored to present for graduation, 24 girls from our Think home, from 7 of the 15 counties.

We are grateful to donors from Samaritan’s Purse Germany, Canada and USA for supporting us with funding and gifts in kind. This cycle of girls has been a challenge, but we are very proud of them, and we ask for your prayers as they step out to begin a second chance in life.

THINK Inc’s role in supporting young women affected by violence was mentioned in this article by Guardian reporter Susan McKay.

‘When I was small it was the war, but I don’t remember too good,” says Finda Fallah. She’s talking about Liberia’s first civil war, which started in 1989 when she was two years old. Her family, along with up to a million other people, fled the country to escape its horrors.

After a decade in a refugee camp in neighbouring Guinea, Finda’s parents decided to return to their farm in Bong County. But a second war had begun, and in 2002 rebel soldiers came for Finda’s father. ‘They said he was a spy. They beat him until he died. My mother was crying for my father and they beat her and they raped her too,’ she says.

…The soldiers, she doesn’t remember how many, also raped Finda, then 15, and forced her to come away with them into the jungle. ‘They gave me a gun and said I had to go and fight,’ she says. “They used me as their wife. They killed a lot of people, mostly men. They raped women constantly. Even young, young boys did it.’

At conference in Egypt, we are talking about means through the internet of helping with advocacy for young girls. What a coincidence that we have just launched our thinkliberia site for this very purpose.

In Liberia, a 17-year-old girl from Kakata, Liberia, filed “a report about teachers who accept bribes of money - and sometimes sex - from students in exchange for higher grades.” For more info about this issue, read further.

UNICEF Radio - in partnership with UNICEF’s ‘Back on Track’ programme on Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition, UNICEF Liberia and Talking Drum Studios put on a “a week-long radio production workshop for seven young people…. [They] learned how to record, edit, write and produce a radio story of their own.”

Walking like an Egyptian today!

I am in Egypt for a week for a training on “Adolescent Girls Advocacy Leadership Initiative” sponsored by the UN Adolescent Girls Program. We are a delegation of six persons from Liberia, from different local NGOs.

Sessions have been constant, but today we will drive 2 hours to view the great pyramids. It’s my first time in Egypt - can’t wait!

photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramids

WOW… it’s finally here,

a year-long project COMPLETED, from brand development to the launching of this web site for THINK, Inc., a humanitarian organization in Liberia that advocates for the rights and well being of young girls and women. I suppose I have spent 600+ hours in research and design, not to mention the countless hours added by a trusted volunteer who crafted the front-end web development. Many thanks to Violet at TeboZandt Consulting for passionately, and patiently helping to make this site possible.

Thanks for celebrating with us; hope you’ll visit again soon.

So what’s next?