Franklin Towne Charter Elementary School has formed a partnership with a school in Liberia, West Africa, launched with the donation of more than 2,000 used textbooks, reading and language arts workbooks, history textbooks and workbooks and performance assessment materials to the Benia International School System headquartered in Duazon, Liberia.
The donation will provide teaching and learning materials for the impoverished Duazon community, located on the North Atlantic coast in the West African nation. The partnership will include the formation of a pen-pal program between FTCES students and their West African student counterparts.
“We are delighted to establish this partnership, which benefits children in need as well as our own children, who will have the opportunity to better understand the culture and challenges of students living halfway around the world in Africa,” said Superintendent James Rodgers. “It’s an important opportunity to help people in poverty, and we look forward to expanding our partnership in the years to come.”
When FTCES adopted a new Language Arts program for its students this year, it sought to donate the used books to schools that might not have the financial means to provide high-quality educational opportunities to their students. Through the Philly Educators website, FTCES connected with Pastor Amos Tarpeh Jr., a Liberian native who is a pastor at Refuge Baptist Church in Upper Darby and a member of the Bishop of Foreign Missions working in partnership with the Benia International School System and Benia Christian Academy to serve school children in Duazon.
“We know how impactful these books will be for this community, and so it is a win-win for everyone,” Rodgers said. “We are excited to donate these materials to such a worthy cause.” ••
