#I almost never see Liberia character designs

[betty-bourgeoisie]

I just genuinely think it's kind of weird that there aren't more OC's for Liberia in this fandom

[bettiejohnsonmbayo]

Liberia: Education Ministry Failed to Exercise Supervisory Role Before Giving More Than Me Greenlight to Operate

Monrovia – The report of the Special Investigative Panel appointed to probe sexual abuse of girls at More Than Me (MTM) shows that the Ministry of Education did not adequately exercise its supervisory function in allowing the charity to open a school in Liberia.

Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, bettie.mbayo@frontpageafricaonline.com

The panel report, released June 1 in Monrovia, alleges that the Ministry allowed MTM to operate as an all-girl school without “seeing, reviewing and been satisfied with the background and experience of adequate female administrative staff”.

Cllr. Negbalee Warner, who chaired the panel, says it was surprising that on September 12, 2010, a little more than two (2) years following its registration in the United States, MTM filed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia an “Application for Authority to Do Business in the Republic of Liberia”.

In the application filed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MTM elaborated on its general purpose of giving “opportunity to the dreams of the most desperate children by stating the activities it planned to undertake in Liberia”.

The activities included bi-weekly mentorship of children – making sure they have the encouragement they need to continue their education; providing twice a week two hours game period on any designated soccer field as a means of teaching character building.

Following receipt of the requisite authorization to operate, the charity was then granted clearance by the Ministry of Finance on January 20, 2011, to apply for accreditation as an International NGO.

It states: “The Ministry of Education has reviewed, scrutinized the requested documents and conducted a thorough capacity assessment of the More Than Me Foundation, Inc. and further verified the facility’s location. Based on the report from the team sent in the field, we are convinced that it will meaningfully contribute toward the revitalization of the education sector.”

The report alleges that MTM had registered and was clear to operate in the country although it had no known office space.

MTM’s own timeline indicates that it launched and operated what it termed as “Grassroots Scholarship program”.   It was in 2012 that MTM acquired the land on which the academy was built.

According to the report MTM duly used Letter of Clearance obtained from the MOE to enjoy tax exemption under Liberian law.

MTM later obtained its accreditation as an International NGO on August 29, 2012, and was issued re-accreditation on January 27, 2016, and April 17, 2017, subsequently.

However, the report claims it did not find any evidence of re-accreditation for the years between 2012-2016.

The Warner report further that the application for re-accreditation in 2016 was filed by Mr. Cyrus Cooper in his capacity as Operations Manager of MTM.

The 2016 application listed Katie Borghese of Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Saul Garlick of Baking Ridge, New Jersey USA; and Manish Patel of Baking Ridge, New Jersey, USA as board members.

Significantly, the panel report said Mr. Cooper did not provide all the information including the NGO’s Annual Report Form he filed. He also did not provide several key documents including the source of funding and list of full-time staff with the position.

Furthermore, an application for re-accreditation submitted by MTM under the signature of Alexandra Fallon, dated April 24, 2018 and addressed to Samuel D. Tweah, Minister of Finance & Development Planning, did not refer to or attach any information about the foundation investment or operating capital, work plan, staff, and/or sources of funding.

In the 2018 application submitted a week after the 2017 accreditation had expired, MTM stated that the “Foundation is an international NGO operating in Monrovia, Liberia” outlining several of its activities including the running of a tuition-free school from the township of West Point

MTM started operations in Liberia in 2009 with a pilot scholarship program. It involves the payment of tuition of some of the most vulnerable girls in West Point and Sinkor.

The scholarship program was started as a very basic operation informally designed and managed without any adequate forethought, established policies/procedures or sustainability plan nor a formal office.

The report states that the lack of plans, procedures, and structures in starting the scholarship program and other activities was not and should not be surprising.

Katie expressly confessed to the Panel that she “is good basically at storytelling and fundraising”, but knew little more than that.

She told the Committee: “I’m not an operational person. I have never had plans. I am not good at details. These are all things I’m not good at too. I figure I can make friends with the people who are good at the things I’m not good at and ask them for help or get them involved somehow.”

Hence, the report said Katie sought the aid of at least two Liberian men: Mr. Macintosh Johnson and Cooper to help get the scholarship started and recruitment of the scholarship beneficiaries.

The children selected by Katie through Johnson and Cooper were placed on scholarship in schools such as the St. Peter’s Lutheran School and the Mary Sharp Memorial School.

Katie told the Investigative Panel that all they wanted was “vulnerable” children -whether boys or girls – but they really never defined what criteria would be used to determine one’s vulnerability or the extent thereof.

MacIntosh First Contact with Girls

The report states that the role of Macintosh and Cooper was critical to the establishment and running of the scholarship program, which culminated in the opening of the MTM Academy.

Katie, according to the report, told the panel that she needed one or a few Liberians, especially people of West Point to work with her.

“I have always had somebody that works next to me because I am not strong at creating that infrastructure that the organization needs; the attention to detail and all that. So, I came back, and we had a list of what to find in a vulnerable child.

“And I reached out to Alfie, and I wanted to work in West Point. He re-introduced me to Macintosh,” she said.

Katie said she first met Macintosh with Alfie in 2007 when the former had given them a tour of West Point.

“Macintosh was someone who was seen in the community as a community leader. He worked for the police as a watchman, as a volunteer watchman. And he was running a sports program in West Point with kids.

“So, I went to visit the sports program, and it looked like what they’re doing was really nice, trying to give kids confidence, and they would do speeches to the kids, and let them enjoy it and play with toys. It was funded by a guy named Eduardo who worked for Jesuit Refugee Commission.”

Katie had him in almost exclusive charge of the selection of the vulnerable children in West Point who would benefit from the MTM scholarship program, the report says.

A number of parents of the beneficiaries interviewed by the Panel revealed how Macintosh was the sole person who made the decision of who got on the scholarship.

Some alleged that Macintosh denied children the scholarship simply because their parents had a disagreement with him or questioned how he was treating the beneficiaries, especially requiring them to cook for him at his home and stay at his place until sometimes around 8 o’clock p.m.

The current head of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) of MTM Academy, whose identity is not disclosed in the report, is quoted as saying that he and his wife had a strained relationship with Macintosh because they had questioned his “close relationship” with the beneficiaries.

There is also corroborating evidence including trial testimonies that the scholarship program was implemented mainly from Macintosh’s house, the report says.

The report states that not only did MTM allow Macintosh to be essentially the sole decider of who got on its scholarship program, the organization also allowed Macintosh to carry on the recruitment of beneficiaries without an established definition of vulnerability or set of eligibility criteria for selection.

There was also no established formal process or procedure of reviewing his decisions to accept or reject a child’s plea to be on the scholarship.

However, the MTM founder admitted but she argued that other persons including a women’s group in West Point later joined MacIntosh in selecting beneficiaries.

The report states that other people assisted Macintosh Johnson in the recruitment process at one point or the other, but the Panel found that their role was merely to help identify a pool of candidates from among those whom Macintosh had already tipped.

According to the report, one of the survivors described Macintosh’s unsupervised activities in these words: “I can just say that Nyumah (MacIntosh) was everything Katie wanted to do. When she is not here, Nyumah can do everything.

“Like if Katie supposed to take pictures of girls today when she is not here, Nyumah would go and bring the girls from their home, carry them and do pictures and carry them back home.

“So, he was just looking like the right hand to Katie. So, everything he said, people would believe him. Even the parents would believe anything he said.”

[puravidaeh]

The new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway route (the yellow line) versus the old route (the blue line); photo courtest of MOPT (Costa Rica’s Ministry of Transportation)

Ricky; one one of his many trips between Vuelta Kooper and Chilamate via the old route (explaining the route with a map to Pacuare River rafting tour participants)

THE NEW CHILAMATE VUELTA KOOPER HIGHWAY IS OPEN!

Ricky and I have had a longstanding joke with a good friend of ours (and owner of one of Costa Rica’s greatest white water rafting outfitters) that we should be the individuals to cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway when it opens. As a white water rafting guide and safety kayaker on the Pacuare River for over six years (the only Pacuare River tour guide stationed in La Fortuna), Ricky travelled back and forth between Arenal and the Pacuare River (i.e., the town of Siquirres) daily, and while he didn’t mind the nearly six-hour drive each day (approximately three hours to the river and another three hours back) as it provided him with ample time to chat and make friends with thousands of awesome people from various countries around the world, we couldn’t help but laugh when–a few weeks from Ricky’s retirement from his station in La Fortuna–the government announced a plan to build the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway; a direct route designed to connect the La Fortuna region with locales to the east, which would significantly shorten the duration of the route travelled for participation in the Pacuare River rafting tour, among other things.

Interested in rafting the Pacaure River during your time in Costa Rica? Don’t miss our related blog post:

The Pacuare River Rafting Tour

Fast forward more than five years to today, and we’re pleased to be able to announce that the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway is officially open! No, we were not at yesterday’s inauguration ceremony, but we did raise a glass at dinner last night and toast the start of a new era of transportation in Costa Rica; an era that future visitors will likely have no idea they are a part of, but past visitors who are familiar with the old, longer, slower, and curvier route will surely appreciate.

THE CHILAMATE VUELTA KOOPER HIGHWAY ROUTE

Given its recent development, the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper route is not yet entirely visible on Google Maps. However, we can inform you that at its westernmost point, the highway begins at the intersection of highway #4 and road #751, nearby the small community of Vuelta de Kooper (GPS coordinates: 10°26’21.1″N 84°20’30.8″W). At its easternmost point, the highway ends at road #126, just before Bajos de Chilamate (GPS coordinates: 10°26’35.4″N 84°06’53.3″W). Roughly 27kms long and with a maximum speed limit of 80kms per hour, the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway takes approximately 20 minutes to drive.

Beautiful landscape and farmland seen throughout the old route

Driving the old route

Stunning sunset seen along the old route

Sarapiqui River seen from the old route

Taking the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway route: What you’ll miss

In the past, ground transportation between La Fortuna and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui (or any other destination further east) was led down a route that passed through small towns and communities including Los Chiles, Aguas Zarcas, Venencia, Rio Cuarto, San Miguel, and La Virgen. If we are honest, the route was never a bad one; we always found greatness in small things along the way each and every time we passed through. Kids were always playing futbol in Los Chiles, and we came across a friendly carniceria owner and a great second-hand shop in Aguas Zarcas. We have long admired the landscape and farm fields that surround Venencia and Rio Cuarto, and we routinely stopped for gas and coffee at the station and cafe in the heart of San Miguel. To this day, every time we see San Miguel’s cracked central church, we remember the area’s Cinchona earthquake of 2009–a natural disaster in which many Costa Ricans lost their lives, and the strongest earthquake we have personally felt to date as it caused the floor and walls in our La Fortuna home to move. The stretch from San Miguel down the mountain always provided a concoction of slow-moving transport trucks, windy roads, and beautiful views. Once we passed the infamous speed bumps at La Virgin, it was smooth sailing to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui and onward from there. Unfortunately, given that the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway bypasses each of these notable towns, the character, culture, and communities that make up each will be missed.

Taking the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway route: What you’ll gain

Since the above mentioned route (Los Chiles->Aguas Zarcas->Venencia->Rio Cuarto->San Miguel->La Virgen) is roughly 87kms long, opting to take the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway will save approximately 60kms of ground travel. Furthermore, since the old route was one that passed through towns, was curvy and mountainous in sections, and was often slowed by impassable transport trucks, a drive that used to take approximately 60 minutes to complete can now be accomplished in almost 1/3 of that time. In short, choosing to take the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway will save at least 40 minutes of drive time, and possibly more, given that slowdowns and delays were common on the old route. In addition, travellers who choose to take the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway will also gain the convenience of driving a direct route, on a nicer/newer road, and at a higher speed.

Thankfully, the new highway is NOT a toll road!

Thankfully, the new highway is NOT a toll road!

Note:

Unlike a few of the newer stretches of highway in and around the San Jose area, the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway is not a toll road; there is no cost associated with driving on the highway.

Note:

We love that the new highway includes 20 passageways for wildlife that wish to cross the road (12 overhead passageways and 8 underground passageways). While we hope all animals learn to cross the road safely, please be alert when you drive; watch for wildlife at the side of the road such as monkeys, sloths, turtles, dogs, koatis, and more.

Note:

As part of the highway project’s green initiative, approximately 1,500 trees have already been planted to help offset the roadway’s construction. Another 4,500 trees have been promised and are yet to come.

Showing the new highway’s connection between La Fortuna (top left corner) and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui (top right corner), the gateway to the Caribbean coast

HERE’S WHAT THE CHILAMATE VUELTA KOOPER HIGHWAY REALLY MEANS FOR YOU (WITH MAPS)

Depending on where you plan to travel in Costa Rica, the development of the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway may or may not be an advantage to you. Continue reading below to determine whether you should take (or likely won’t need to take) Costa Rica’s newest roadwork masterpiece according to the destinations you plan to visit during your trip.

If you plan to visit La Fortuna to/from a location within the boxes, you will be unaffected by development of the new highway

If you plan to travel to or from La Fortuna via Liberia, Monteverde, or any Guanacaste/Nicoya Peninsula/Central Pacific coast beach location…

The most notable difference in drive time will be experienced by individuals who opt to travel between Costa Rica’s La Fortuna region and its Caribbean coast (including locales encountered along the way, such as Sarapiqui, Guapiles, Siquirres, prior to reaching the coast at Limon). Individuals who plan to visit La Fortuna from the west (i.e., from Liberia, Monteverde, or any Guanacaste beach location) will be unaffected by the development of the new highway. Similarly, individuals who plan to travel between La Fortuna and the Central Pacific coast or Nicoya Peninsula will be unaffected by the development of the new highway.

If you plan to visit La Fortuna to/from a location within the boxes, you will be unaffected by development of the new highway

If you plan to travel to or from La Fortuna via San Jose…

For travel between San Jose and La Fortuna, the majority of travellers will not take the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway. The most popular routes between these two destinations remain the route through San Ramon, followed by the route through Ciudad Quesada. Alternatively, individuals who plan to depart from San Jose to visit the Poas Volcano and/or the La Paz Waterfall before continuing on to La Fortuna would be best to take the old route through San Miguel as doing so would be the fastest and most direct option. Only those who have a specific interest in travelling from San Jose to La Fortuna via the Braullio Carrillo National Park or the Sarapiqui region should plan to take the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway.

If you plan to visit La Fortuna to/from a location within the boxes, plan to take the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway

If you plan to travel to or from La Fortuna via Guapiles, Siquirres, Limon, Tortuguero, or any Caribbean coast beach location…

Plan to take the Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway; as described above, doing so will be more convenient and will save you time. If you don’t plan to drive yourselves, note that your shared shuttle service driver, your private transfer service driver, or your tour/activity driver will likely take the highway as well. Fortunately, taking the new highway will result in both later morning departure times in anticipation of tours and transfer services, and earlier afternoon/evening arrival times following the completion of tours and transfer services. Yay for sleeping in later while on vacation AND having extra time to spend at a destination (as opposed to time spent on the road); it’s win-win either way. Although it may take transportation service providers and tour operators a while to switch over to the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway route and update their service scheduling (i.e., their tour/service pick-up times and approximate activity/service durations), rest assured that the new operation will be well worth the wait.

Pura vida!

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If you plan to visit La Fortuna to/from a location within the boxes, you will be unaffected by development of the new highway

Stunning sunset seen along the old route

Thankfully, the new highway is NOT a toll road!

The new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway route (the yellow line) versus the old route (the blue line); photo courtest of MOPT (Costa Rica’s Ministry of Transportation)

Thankfully, the new highway is NOT a toll road!

Showing the new highway’s connection between La Fortuna (top left corner) and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui (top right corner), the gateway to the Caribbean coast

If you plan to visit La Fortuna to/from a location within the boxes, plan to take the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway

If you plan to visit La Fortuna to/from a location within the boxes, you will be unaffected by development of the new highway

Ricky; one one of his many trips between Vuelta Kooper and Chilamate via the old route (explaining the route with a map to Pacuare River rafting tour participants)

Driving the old route

Sarapiqui River seen from the old route

Beautiful landscape and farmland seen throughout the old route

How The New Chilamate Vuelta Kooper Highway Will Save You Time THE NEW CHILAMATE VUELTA KOOPER HIGHWAY IS OPEN! Ricky and I have had a longstanding joke with a good friend of ours (and owner of one of Costa Rica's greatest white water rafting outfitters) that we should be the individuals to cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the new Chilamate Vuelta Kooper highway when it opens.