Africa-Press – Liberia. The Arise From Ashes support team members who attended the program honoring the Annual Return of Diaspora Liberians
A diaspora-founded humanitarian organization, Arise From Ashes (AFA), is steadily transforming lives across Liberia through a comprehensive set of programs that empower youths, women, and marginalized families—an impact that earned the organization national recognition during the 2025 Diaspora Annual Return.
Operating in Montserrado and Maryland Counties, Arise From Ashes has distinguished itself with a holistic development model that integrates education, vocational training, entrepreneurship, psychosocial rehabilitation, agriculture, sanitation, and youth sports. AFA was founded by Emily Ekua Erskine, executive director, and Magalie Nyemade Leclercq. The NGO’s work culminated in December 2025 when Emily and Magalie were honored during the Annual Return with the Diaspora Hearts of Service Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to national development and community upliftment.
Tubman University in Maryland County, alumni association also granted AFA a certificate of appreciation because it has been supporting disadvantaged boys through its rehabilitation program and teenage mothers, some of whom are attending their institution.
Arise From Ashes’ Executive Director Emily Ekua Erskine (1st from left), along with other honorees, including President Joseph Nyuma Boakai
Empowering Through Education and Skills
Education remains a central pillar of AFA’s mission. In 2020, the organization launched Sew It Right (SIR), a tailoring and fashion design school in New Georgia Estate that has since enrolled over 40 young women. To further address the needs of survivors of gender-based violence and economic exclusion, AFA sponsored dozens of women from Peace Island and Pagos Island to enroll in vocational programs at NETLIB/NVTI, covering cosmetology, catering, interior decoration, computer science, auto mechanics, and hotel management.
Entrepreneurship and Livelihoods
Beyond training, Arise From Ashes backs entrepreneurship with one-year post-training support, helping graduates establish small businesses by securing shops, paying initial rent, and providing tools and equipment. Since 2024, this approach has spawned auto-mechanic shops, salons, catering services, tailoring workshops, internet cafés, and small agricultural ventures in Monrovia and Harper. The model prioritizes dignity, income generation, and community contribution.
AFA has also expanded access to formal education, providing scholarships to teenage mothers in Maryland County and supporting students at Tubman University and high schools in Harper City, Maryland.
Healing, Recovery, and Social Reintegration
Addressing Liberia’s post-war social scars, AFA runs holistic recovery programs for youths affected by substance abuse—combining medical rehabilitation, education, vocational skills, and sports therapy. In partnership with Wave for Change, surfing and structured sports have become tools for discipline, confidence-building, and reintegration, benefiting dozens of young men in Maryland County. Several of these beneficiaries have already graduated- demonstrating a pipeline from vulnerability to self-reliance.
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security
In Barrobo, Maryland County, AFA operates a Resilience Farm, promoting agro-ecological practices that avoid chemicals, improve soil health, and combat food insecurity. The farm trains youth and women in sustainable agriculture and livestock management, directly benefiting rural households and hundreds of students across local schools. The income they are generating has empowered and enabled these rural women to participate in their households and make valuable contributions to their community.
AFA has also created two new demonstration sites, one in Gbeken Village for agriculture students and youths at Tubman University, high schools, and a vocational training center between Harper and Karluway Districts. The other demonstration site is located in Weah Village and benefits Weah Village elementary school students.
Sanitation, Health, and Community Support
Recognizing the link between health and education, AFA renovated 14 school toilets at Fatima Elementary & High School in Harper in 2024, improving sanitation for nearly 1,800 students and teachers. The NGO has also donated food items and sports materials to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, reinforcing partnerships that address youth marginalization and promote healthy recreation.
Diaspora Recognition and a Call to Partners
AFA’s growing impact drew global and national attention. In addition to the Diaspora Hearts of Service Award, the organization has received international recognition and maintains consultative status with ECOSOC, underscoring its credibility and reach. Donor support from Geneva-based institutions and local partners in Liberia has been instrumental in sustaining its programs.
Looking ahead, Madam Erskine is calling on government institutions, private partners, and donors to scale up support. “By empowering youths, women, and marginalized groups, we are investing in Liberia’s future,” she has said, emphasizing that AFA’s work is not charity alone but a pathway to resilience, productivity, and national renewal.
As Liberia continues its post-war rebuilding, Arise From Ashes stands out as a model of diaspora-driven development—turning adversity into opportunity and restoring hope, one community at a time.
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