"I want to be an engineer and be a part of the reconstruction of my country," says Emmanuel Woanyean, 16, from Monrovia, Liberia.

But in spite of finishing first in his class in high school, Emmanuel will not be attending school next semester.  After his one-year scholarship to technical school ended in June, he realized he could not afford to continue.

“My mother is classroom teacher and she makes about $100 a month, or $1200 a year,” Emmanuel says.  By happenstance, that’s exactly how much a year of engineering school costs.  But his mother needs to pay rent, buy food, and pay school fees for Emmanuel’s younger sister.  

“She’s doing her best, but it just doesn’t seem to be working.  It’s heartbreaking,” Emmanuel says. 

Monrovia radio workshop

In August, Emmanuel was one of the participants in a week-long radio production workshop for 7 young people from Liberia. UNICEF Radio – in partnership with UNICEF's ‘Back on Track’ programme on Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition, the UNICEF Liberia programme and Talking Drum Studios – conducted the workshop with three boys and four girls chosen from around the country.

The youths learned how to record, edit, write and produce a radio story of their own.

Emmanuel's story talked about what it is like to be a motivated, bright young man in Liberia without the means to continue studying.  One of Emmanuel’s professors tried to encourage him.  “This is a post-war country and people are facing the global [economic] crisis,” the professor said.  “You can’t be complacent.”

He told Emmanuel to apply for more scholarships from the ministry of education.  “If you go through with that with the requisite grade point average, I think you can be there as an engineer and you will be a prospect for your country.” 

UNICEF’s Liberia programme will broadcast all the youth’s stories too celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  The CRC grants children the right to a quality education, among other rights.

"I want to be an engineer and be a part of the reconstruction of my country," says Emmanuel Woanyean, 16, from Monrovia, Liberia.

But in spite of finishing first in his class in high school, Emmanuel will not be attending school next semester.  After his one-year scholarship to technical school ended in June, he realized he could not afford to continue.

“My mother is classroom teacher and she makes about $100 a month, or $1200 a year,” Emmanuel says.  By happenstance, that’s exactly how much a year of engineering school costs.  But his mother needs to pay rent, buy food, and pay school fees for Emmanuel’s younger sister.  

“She’s doing her best, but it just doesn’t seem to be working.  It’s heartbreaking,” Emmanuel says. 

Monrovia radio workshop

In August, Emmanuel was one of the participants in a week-long radio production workshop for 7 young people from Liberia. UNICEF Radio – in partnership with UNICEF's ‘Back on Track’ programme on Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition, the UNICEF Liberia programme and Talking Drum Studios – conducted the workshop with three boys and four girls chosen from around the country.

The youths learned how to record, edit, write and produce a radio story of their own.

Emmanuel's story talked about what it is like to be a motivated, bright young man in Liberia without the means to continue studying.  One of Emmanuel’s professors tried to encourage him.  “This is a post-war country and people are facing the global [economic] crisis,” the professor said.  “You can’t be complacent.”

He told Emmanuel to apply for more scholarships from the ministry of education.  “If you go through with that with the requisite grade point average, I think you can be there as an engineer and you will be a prospect for your country.” 

UNICEF’s Liberia programme will broadcast all the youth’s stories too celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  The CRC grants children the right to a quality education, among other rights.