Nearly $13,000 was raised recently at the Reconstruction Conference organized by the National Association of Cape Mountainians in the Americas (NACA) held in College Park, Maryland. Of the amount, close to $11,000 was raised in cash and checks, and the reminder in pledges. At the conference, Cape Mount citizens residing in the United States agreed to set up a development foundation for the county with the establishment of an office in Liberia.

The Cape Mount Development Foundation, a not for profit organization will administer all development projects for NACA and represent the interest of the Association in Liberia, run a scholarship program for Cape Mount students at the University of Liberia and nursing students at the Tubman Institute for Medical Arts (TNIMA) as well as engage in income generating ventures such as fisheries to help sustain the foundation.

The foundation will also administer educational and health programs for NACA, pursue a strong leadership role in the reconstruction of the county, engage in research and the collection of statistics throughout the county in order for it (foundation) to serve as a viable point of contact for information about the county. The foundation will support Cape Mount farmers and help organize them into cooperatives as well as engage in micro loan projects in the county and run a foster program between children in the county and children of Cape Mount descent residing in the United States, among other things.

At the conference, the Cape Mountainians unanimously adopted the teaching of the Vai language in all elementary and junior high schools throughout the county. The Dinner Speaker, Dr. John V. Singler, proposed the teaching of Vai in Cape Mount schools. Dr. Singler, a professor of Linguistics at New York University in New York and former Peace Corps volunteer in Cape Mount spoke of the importance for children throughout the county to read and write a common language such as Vai. He said this will not only boost reading proficiency among the children but will encourage better communication among people of the same region. Dr. Singler said currently he and others have embarked on a project for desktop publishing in Vai, hoping that a computer keyboard for the Vai language will be developed within a year’s period.

The highest contribution to the reconstruction effort came from the Metro Chapter comprising of Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC. The chapter through its President, Ms Hawa Kpaka donated more than $ 3,000.00 towards the hosting of the reconstruction conference and the reconstruction fund. This was followed by the New England Chapter which comprises Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont. The President, Chief Bai Dordor Karneh presented a manager’s check for a little over $2,100 while the President of the Delaware Valley chapter, Mr. Boima Pusah gave close to $2,000.00 on behalf of the Chapter, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Other chapters that contributed to the reconstruction fund were New York and Indiana as well as individidual Cape Mount citizens residing in Ohio and Texas. The NACA Queen, Ms Musu Fahnbulleh made a personal contribution of $1,000.00 in addition to the $600.00 she paid towards the conference preparation.

The convention speaker, Mr. Edward Fahnbulleh who is currently helping to build a motor road linking his village, Mesima in Garwular District to the rest of the county among other projects in the village also donated $500.00 to teach the Vai Language in Cape Mount schools. Mr. Fahnbulleh who is also constructing a school in Monrovia urged Cape Mount citizens in the United States to develop a passion of giving back to their county. During the conference, the NACA administration announced that it would begin a pilot project for teaching the Vai language in the county beginning the next academic year. NACA will be responsible for instructional materials and payment of teacher’s salaries.

Individual contributions were also made toward the NACA scholarship drive. NACA National President, Mr. Abraham G. Massaley gave $300.00 in honor of his late father, teacher Joseph Momo Massaley of Porkpa District. Ms Harriet King also presented a check for $300.00 and pledged an additional $100.00, making it a total of $400.00 to be paid annually in memory of her late father, former St. John’s Episcopal High School Principal, D. Sonii King, Sr. The King scholarship is intended for Cape Mount students at the University of Liberia and nursing students at TNIMA.

The Vice President of the New England Chapter, Mr. Suliman V. Kamara contributed $100.00 and pledged an additional $100.00, totaling $200.00 to be paid annually in honor of his late father, Paramount Chief Sheiku S. Vainga of Tewor District who was born and lived in kpendekor ,(Gardeyaneh) ,Tewor District. The Vainga scholarship will sponsor a Cape mount citizen at the college of Agriculture & Forestry, university Of Liberia, for four years while maintaining a B+ average. Mr. Abubacar A. Corneh of the Delaware Valley chapter pledged $400.00 to be paid annually in honor of his late father, Manja Boakai Corneh of Manivalor, Garwular District. The Corneh scholarship will sponsor two students at the University of Liberia for two years, and may be renewed for an additional two years based on good academic performance. NACA is also urging other Cape Mountainians to contribute to the scholarship fund.

AT the one-day conference, Cape Mountainians resolved to forge partnership with the Liberian government, local and international non-governmental organizations in pursuing the reconstruction agenda for the county, sponsor and coordinate the shipment of educational and health materials to the county, help promote holistic literacy through innovative reading and writing programs, targeting the whole family and community. The Cape Mountainians also agreed to sponsor research activities in the county for the purpose of information gathering, data processing and analysis in order to make information readily available about the county. They further resolved to establish youth enrichment programs in the county, enhance information sharing through the mass media and networking and to help reactive the Sienjii Polytechnic University project, among other programs in the county.

Meanwhile, the Association is appealing to Cape Mount citizens who have not contributed to the reconstruction fund to send their $100.00 annual donations in check or money order payable and mailed to the NACA Treasury at 735 West Penn Pines Boulevard, Alban, PA 19018. Cape Mount citizens may also pay online at www.capemountusa.org. At the 2005 NACA convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it was resolved that each Cape Mount citizen residing in the United States will make a yearly contribution of $100.00 to the reconstruction drive.

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