Africa-Press – Liberia. In a powerful push to transform Liberia’s educational landscape, Wilnet Sara Gaye, Founder and Executive Director of the Arise Impact Initiative, has officially launched the second cohort of the Young Readers Bootcamp—a dynamic literacy program designed to equip Liberian youth with essential reading skills, critical thinking, and the confidence to shape their futures.
Addressing an enthusiastic gathering of students, parents, educators, and literacy advocates, Gaye underscored the urgency of revitalizing Liberia’s reading culture.
“This program is our collective response to a national need—the urgent need to restore the culture of reading, writing, research, and reflection among young people in Liberia,” she said passionately.
More than just a reading initiative, Gaye described the bootcamp as “a space of discovery,” where students are not only taught to read books but also empowered “to read the world around them—and respond with clarity, creativity, and courage.”
Launched in 2024, the Young Readers Bootcamp and Career Readiness Program offers a rigorous, merit-based curriculum spanning three months, targeting high school students across Liberia. The program combines phonics-based instruction with storytelling, creativity exercises, group reading sessions, mentorship, and career readiness training. It is crafted to unlock each student’s potential through the transformative power of literacy.
Reflecting on her own formative experiences, Gaye shared a deeply personal moment that inspired the creation of the bootcamp.
“I remember struggling with an essay in high school—not because I lacked ideas, but because we lacked the guidance and confidence to express ourselves,” she recalled. “That moment became a seed, which blossomed into this bootcamp—a program built to cultivate literacy, confidence, creativity, and leadership.”
Gaye reminded the students that the bootcamp exists for their growth and empowerment. “You are the reason we are here. This space was created for your growth, your dreams, your future. Show up, speak out, and soak in every moment.”
The event’s keynote speaker, acclaimed Liberian author and creative producer Shaona Cachelle, delivered a stirring message on the life-changing power of literacy. She shared her own struggles with reading aloud during her college years, emphasizing the resilience and determination required to overcome those challenges.
“This is not charity. This is resistance. This is justice,” Cachelle declared, praising the bootcamp as a visionary and revolutionary initiative.
“Reading gave me access to the world I wanted to live in—and that’s what this bootcamp is doing for these children. It’s giving them access to themselves, to their stories, to their future.”
Cachelle’s testimony struck a chord with the audience as she recounted her relentless daily practice of reading aloud in preparation for a broadcasting audition, culminating in the publication of her debut children’s book, Who Said It Be Easy. Holding up a copy of her book, she smiled and said, “I went from struggling to read—to writing my own story.”
In a vibrant close to the launch, Cachelle awarded signed copies of her book and merchandise to two standout students who excelled in an interactive literacy quiz. She urged all children present to embrace the power of literacy and never cease learning.
The Young Readers Bootcamp continues to shine as a beacon of hope and empowerment in Liberia. It demonstrates how a targeted investment in literacy can unlock a lifetime of possibilities and ignite a new generation of leaders equipped to read, lead, and transform their communities.
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