SHIFSD's scholarship program has now supported 50 Liberian students through secondary and higher education — a milestone made possible by partners, donors, and the young people themselves.
This month we crossed a milestone that felt out of reach when the scholarship program started: 50 young Liberians supported through secondary and higher education. The scholarships cover tuition, materials, and — where needed — transport and meals, because we learned early that a full scholarship still fails if a student can't reach class.
The 50 recipients come from every county we operate in. About two-thirds are pursuing secondary school at Hummingbird Academy and partner schools; the rest are enrolled in TVET tracks at Holy Hands Institute or in tertiary programs at Liberian universities. Roughly half are young women, up from a third when the program began.
How we choose recipients
Selection is done with communities, not in an office in Monrovia. Local teachers and community leaders nominate students, and a shared committee reviews academic promise, financial need, and — critically — the student's own plans for what they want to do after graduating. We renew scholarships year over year based on progress, not one-time need.
“I would not have finished 12th grade without the scholarship. Now I want to teach in the same school that taught me.”
— Scholarship graduate, Bomi County
The next class starts in September. Applications open through our county coordinators in July.
