Just Doing Deborah
The little positive things we do for people and our community have the power to transform an entire generation. As Robert Ingersol said, we rise by lifting others,” so my mentors have been and are still doing just that. SHE-CAN saw how bold, persistent, confident, and cheerful I was during their application process and thought I needed to be mentored. Therefore, SHE-CAN brought it all together by finding a team of mentors for me which since then has been a blessing to my leadership growth and career path in Liberia. They have helped me boost my organization—WeCanLiberia, which has schooled 4 students in rural Bong, Grand Bassa, and Montserrado—and impacted 100 unprivileged girls in West Point—one of the biggest slums in Monrovia with personal hygiene knowledge and skills training.
Recently, one of my mentors donated $200 United States dollars to my “Send and Keep a girl child in school in rural Liberia fundraiser” (a $500 dollars fundraiser under the “Girls Go for Higher Education” campaign I organized to empower young girls like myself). Also, they have supported me physically and mentally to advocate for myself and others, making sure I am always in good health, giving me tips on how to be a good leader, preparing me for interviews, and ensuring that I am not overwhelmed by college preparation stress. I had the opportunity to spend five days with my lead mentor—Menda Sims— at the Hilton Pennsylvania landing hotel and it was super amazing. We went shopping for my dorm room, ate a lot of seafood, drove around Philadelphia a little bit, and rode a ferry which was so much fun, and I enjoyed it. In addition, my lead mentor drove me to campus and decorated my dorm room with my favorite colors pink, white, and gray.
I am grateful to SHE-CAN for the mentorship and leadership they provide for me and this is the reason I am proud to be a SHE-CAN scholar. They have given me an amazing team of mentors who have been and are still supporting me. Through my mentors, I have understood that I can be the change that I want to see in Liberia and the world because I am the change, the hope for the next female generation of leaders in Liberia, and I am not just a woman but an influential one that can do anything. I am strong enough to break gender limits, face fear, and take the lead. I am grateful to have such a supportive team of mentors and look forward to seeing them in the winter.