The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Liberia Chapter has announced plans to support 650 marginalized young people through a comprehensive education programme offering tuition, accommodation, laptops, health insurance, stipends and vocational training.

The initiative forms part of the second phase of the FAWE-Mastercard Foundation programme, which seeks to expand access to higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for young people facing barriers to education and employment.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, October 9, 2026, FAWE Liberia Chapter Executive Director Millias Z. Sheriff said the programme is designed to give vulnerable young people a practical pathway to education, skills development and economic opportunity.

Sheriff said FAWE received 1,447 applications, comprising 816 applicants for university education and 631 for TVET. Of the applicants, 763 were female, representing 52.7 percent; 673 were male, or 46.5 percent; and 11 did not state their gender.

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The applicant pool included 28 persons with disabilities, representing 1.9 percent, and 111 refugees or internally displaced people, equivalent to 7.7 percent. FAWE said these groups are among those the programme intends to reach as it works to reduce exclusion from education.

Women are expected to make up 80 percent of the 650 beneficiaries. The support package is expected to cover tuition, laptops, health insurance, stipends and accommodation where necessary. TVET participants will also receive support for training consumables, while learners with disabilities may receive equipment suited to their needs.

Sheriff said the selection process has involved application reviews, community visits and verification intended to ensure assistance reaches eligible applicants. "This is a very rigorous process," he said. "For the past one month plus, my team have been working in villages, in communities, in towns, and in counties across Liberia."

According to FAWE, applications were received from across the country, with Montserrado accounting for 508, Bong 248, Lofa 196, Grand Bassa 106, Margibi 88 and Nimba 85. Other applications came from Maryland, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Sinoe, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Kru and Rivercess. Five applicants were outside Liberia, while 134 did not identify a county.

Among applicants seeking university admission, Cuttington University was named by 249 applicants and Stella Maris Polytechnic University by 227. Other choices included Grand Bassa University, Nimba University, Lutheran University of Liberia's Phebe-Esther Bacon College of Health Sciences and William V.S. Tubman University. Some applicants did not specify a preferred institution or remained undecided.

FAWE Program Officer Vennetta Johnson Freeman said the programme targets marginalized young women and men aged 15 to 25 who completed high school from 2024 onward. Applicants do not necessarily need to have passed every West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) subject before entry, provided they completed the Ministry of Education's prescribed secondary-school courses.

The programme will help eligible students prepare for outstanding WASSCE subjects, but participants must satisfy the required examination conditions before graduation, Freeman explained. TVET courses generally last nine months to one year, while university programmes may run for two-year associate degrees or four-year degrees, depending on the institution.

Beyond classroom instruction, FAWE plans to connect participants with mentors, employers and entrepreneurship support. Mentors will guide small groups of approximately four to five students. Participants will receive business training and develop business plans, with grant support intended to help selected graduates establish or grow enterprises. FAWE is also engaging employers and exploring internship opportunities, including in the mining sector, while working with youth partner YOCEL.

Sheriff said the programme is intended to link education with long-term self-reliance. "The most important thing that is required of you, at least you yourself, when you have such an opportunity is to go to school, make the pass, make yourself proud," he said.

The selection process includes district-level engagement, county reviews and validation by a 22-member national committee comprising representatives from government, education institutions, youth and civil society groups, disability organizations and refugee communities. FAWE said it intends to notify all 1,447 applicants of their outcomes, including those not selected. Final selections will follow the verification process.

The programme runs from 2024 to 2030 and is part of a broader initiative operating in 10 sub-Saharan African countries. FAWE Liberia is working with education and training institutions, government agencies, youth organizations and other partners to deliver the programme.

Partners named include the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Commission on Higher Education, universities and TVET institutions, the National Commission on Disability, Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, UNIDO, the Federation of Liberia Youth, YOCEL and FAWE Liberia's Board.

Sheriff urged beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously, emphasizing that education, persistence and successful completion would be essential to achieving the programme's intended impact. The initiative aims to help marginalized youth gain qualifications, practical skills and better prospects for employment, entrepreneurship and participation in Liberia's development.