MONROVIA – Liberian activist Martin K. N. Kollie says the results of a recent University of Liberia (UL) entrance sponsorship program prove that investing in young people yields tangible returns, as dozens of underprivileged youth successfully passed the competitive examination. Describing the outcome as a “huge return on investment,” Kollie said the achievement debunks persistent stereotypes about Liberian youth being unwilling or unable to succeed.
“We are investing in the youth. The people first. Liberia first,” Kollie stated, emphasizing that the successful candidates now have an opportunity to acquire university education and build meaningful futures for themselves. He noted that many of the beneficiaries had never imagined setting foot in a university classroom due to financial hardship and lack of opportunity.
According to Kollie, the MKNK Foundation deposited L$300,000 into the GT Bank account of the University of Liberia to sponsor 100 Liberian youth who needed assistance to sit the entrance examination. Of those beneficiaries who have checked and reported their results so far, 48 have successfully passed, a figure Kollie described as both encouraging and historic.
“But guess what? Forty-eight of them who have checked their results and reported so far successfully passed,” Kollie said, attributing the success to both the sponsorship and the Foundation’s decision to provide free one-month intensive tutorial and preparatory classes ahead of the exam.
Several beneficiaries recorded high scores, including Fatima Maiga, Khakie Brisbane, Sekou A. V. Corneh, Austine Payne, Michael Somah, Mohammed Abdullah Nyei, Cranshaw Sumo Mulbah, Flomo B. Dennis, Fatu M. Sheriff, Tito Francisco Doray, Gloria Napo, and others who emerged as top performers through the program.
In a development Kollie described as groundbreaking, the Foundation also sponsored 10 persons with disabilities (PwDs) among the 100 beneficiaries. Of that group, four passed the entrance examination, including two deaf students. “For the first time in the history of the University of Liberia, two deaf students will acquire university education because of our sponsorship,” Kollie said.
The PwDs who passed were identified as David Doe, Blessing Yeaney, Pewee Quaqua, and Octavius Vorkpor. Kollie said their success underscores the importance of inclusion and targeted support in Liberia’s education system.
Beyond the sponsored group, Kollie disclosed that the MKNK Foundation also provided free one-month intensive tutorial classes to more than 1,000 candidates across five strategic centers in Montserrado County, expanding access to exam preparation for students outside the main beneficiary pool.
Using the results to confront prevailing narratives, Kollie rejected claims that Liberian youth are lazy or lack ambition. “That belief is a big lie and a poor excuse,” he said, arguing that such perceptions are often used to justify denying young people opportunities and keeping them trapped in poverty.
“Liberian youth have huge potential to succeed and achieve greatness if given the opportunity,” Kollie emphasized. “They are eager to learn. The real problem is not the youth; it is the lack of support and opportunities.”
He added that meaningful activism must go beyond rhetoric. “As an activist, it is not enough to fight for them through advocacies. We must directly impact their lives,” Kollie said, describing the Foundation’s mission as one centered on empowerment, hope, and lifting lives.
With the successful candidates now set to enter the state-run University of Liberia, Kollie said the future appears brighter for dozens of young Liberians whose educational paths have been transformed. He called on the public to join the Foundation in congratulating the beneficiaries, describing their achievement as proof that when Liberian youth are supported, they deliver results.
