Published: July 2, 2025
PICNICESS, Grand Kru County — A U.S.-based Grand Kru diaspora group has donated more than 45 armchairs to two public schools in Klipo-Gbetao District, aiming to end floor seating and improve classroom conditions for rural students.
The donation, made by the Grand Kru County Development Association (GCDA) in the Americas, benefited Jlatekpoh and Togbaklee Community Schools in Picnicess, where students have long struggled with inadequate seating.
According to GCDA representative Kumeh Sedee, who presented the chairs on behalf of the association, the contribution is part of a broader push to improve educational infrastructure and learning conditions in the county.
“These chairs are meant to give students a more comfortable and dignified classroom experience,” Sedee said during the handover ceremony at Togbaklee Elementary School. “We want to see these children learning in proper conditions—not sitting on cold floors or carrying chairs from home.”
Sedee clarified that the initiative is non-political and supported entirely by Grand Kru citizens living in the United States who are committed to improving conditions back home. He noted that the armchair donation is part of the association’s ongoing “One Child, One Chair” initiative launched in 2017 in support of the national government’s education goals.
Previous beneficiaries of the campaign include Barclayville Central High, Sasstown High, and P.G. Wolloh High School, where a total of 50 chairs were distributed. Sedee said the latest project cost more than $1,100 and is part of a growing list of interventions targeting rural communities.
He also revealed that the GCDA plans to construct modern latrine facilities to improve sanitation in underserved areas across Grand Kru.
Receiving the donation, the principal of Jlatekpoh Elementary School expressed gratitude to the diaspora community for what he described as a “timely and transformative intervention.”
At Togbaklee Elementary, Principal Moses Kun Doe echoed those sentiments and assured that the chairs would be used effectively.
“This donation directly addresses our lack of seating and helps us move closer to a better learning environment,” Doe said. “Our current building was constructed by the community, but it’s in poor condition. Residents have already started work on a new structure.”
Doe appealed to the Ministry of Education and the Grand Kru County School System to support the ongoing construction project, which he said is crucial to improving education in Picnicess.
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