Right now I’m really interested in the history and culture of Liberia, since I’ve worked on some articles and am hoping to do some other work about Rainbow Town and the Shine Foundation in the future. While doing some random reading/research, I fell across this piece published in the New York Times Magazine. It’s an excerpt from journalist Helene Cooper’s book “The House at Sugar Hill,” which comes out in September.
The piece is compelling, and I’m eager to read the book in its entirety when it comes out. While it’s a memoir, it offers historical information about Liberians - both natives and descendants from former American slaves. I learned so much from the little printed in the NYT magazine.
It also tells a personal story of choosing to return home after being absent for so long. Regardless of where she lived, Africa remained a part of Helene Cooper and “The House at Sugar Hill” recounts how she found it again.
So this blog isn’t newsworthy in the sense that it’s something immediate and super important.
BUT … this blog is about an amazing family that has a great foundation that helps people in Liberia. Some of their projects include:
1. Rainbow Town - sustaining and maintaining this orphanage for 86 war orphans in Gbargna, Liberia.
2. EKIA - Enhancing Knowledge of Illiterate Adults is an adult literacy program, which will teach 500 Liberians how to read and write.
3. Britt Academy - They recently finished construction of this school and continue to support the operation of the school which includes the provision of teacher salaries and school materials.
4. Medical Missions - They organize short-term medical teams from the U.S. will travel to rural areas of Liberia to provide free medical care.
