Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Published: November 10, 2025

On Friday, the Voices of the Elders, Republic of Liberia (VOTE RL) in collaboration with the UL Alumni Association (AAUL) launched OPERATION SEAT UL, a national campaign to provide 22,000 classroom armchairs for the University of Liberia. This grand philanthropic gesture was the result of visionary pragmatism: identifying a specific local problem, envisioning its complete and total solution, and mobilizing people to realize that vision. Co-spearheaded by Sister Mary Laurene Brown, a member of VOTE RL who herself served as President of Stella Maris for many years and co-chair of the most recent UL Presidential Search Committee, and Cllr. Martin Wleh Pennie, head of AAUL and Secretary of the UL Board of Trustees, this campaign modeled—and invited—a genuine spirit of generosity and willingness to sacrifice for the greater good, in addition to a valiant love for country.

OPERATION SEAT UL asks individual Liberians, especially UL alumni, to purchase a single classroom armchair for UL within the next four to six months. For those who are able, they are invited to do more. Chairs range in price from US$25 for classic wooden models (which, I might note, are environmentally sustainable and biodegradable, thus contributing to the conservation of Liberia’s natural rainforest environment and to the local economy through support of local Liberian craftsmanship) to $55 for imported rust-proof non-wooden chairs. There is a range of types, but they have one thing in common: All will be green in color, as a sign of hope for the future generations. Thus, when you see a green armchair at UL, you will know that someone loved Liberia, Liberia’s national flagship university, and Liberia’s students who are her future enough to offer up a portion of their own finances for something bigger than themselves. VOTE RL and AAUL together have made it easy for people to show their care, concern, and love through a simple, practical gesture that leaves a lasting legacy. This is called “Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.”

At the launch of OPERATION SEAT UL, thousands of dollars were raised from attendees. In addition to a personal donation that I made to this total, I committed UL to make needed faculty tables/chair sets for each of the classrooms filled by OPERATION SEAT UL, and also to work with UL’s Resource Center for Disability Services and Support and Alternative Learning to ensure the concurrent production of chairs to suit the needs of students with disabilities and students of diverse sizes.

Others who have made major contributions recently, whether for armchairs, bathrooms, or other urgent UL needs, include the National Port Authority ($25,000), UL Alumni Association in the Americas ($25,000), UL’s Golden Class of 2001 ($10,000). Other laudable recent donors include Representative Rugie Barry (infrastructure improvement fundraising campaign), Speaker Jeremiah Koon in collaboration with UL Student Interim Leadership (bathroom repair on Capitol Hill), the 104th Graduating Class Economics Alumni (armchairs), Mwetana (armchairs), and Queen Vashe Weah (sanitary supplies for women’s bathrooms). In-kind efforts include the Ministry of Health (new PHC-1 clinic to be constructed at Capitol Hill), Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (pro bono water, sewer, and bathroom repair for and with UL), and Xity Engineering Solutions (reduced cost services on the Solar Oasis Utility Park under construction at Fendall).

Clearly, there are many ways to “put your money where your mouth is,” and it is fair to say that all of these ministries, agencies, associations, companies, and individuals have “put their money where their mouth is.” Each has elevated the importance of making UL better in their verbal, online, or news media statements and, in turn, has made visible, material contributions to this end. All of these givers deserve praise and acclamation for their gifts of aid and assistance!

In my last column, my theme was “How can I help?” and “How can we help?” It seems that Liberia is filled with people ready and willing to answer this call. It only takes a little encouragement to create a chain reaction that moves us collectively from “Woe is me” to “WOW is me!” and “WOW are we!!” When all of us who are able “put our money where our mouth is,” we all become visionary pragmatists and begin to see the UL—and the Liberia—of our dreams taking shape.

If you wish to contribute to OPERATION SEAT UL, here is the information provided by the Voices of the Elders R.L. and the UL Alumni Association in the program book they printed for the launch event:

Kind, generous and patriotic donor, you may deposit the cash in account # US$ 53030550022117, LRD 53030550022124 at UBA,

or send cash via mobile money to:

Orange: 0772557492/Lonestar 0889079922