Education

In 2013, 25,000 high school graduates took the University of Liberia’s entrance exam. Every single one of them failed (BBC 2013). That year, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf admitted that the education system is “a mess” (BBC 2013). Indeed, 58% of 15-24 year olds have not completed primary education (EPDC 2014).

LEAD Monrovia Football Academy has developed an innovative solution to fill Liberia’s education gap. We uniquely use football – the most popular sport in Liberia – as a positive-incentive mechanism to encourage our students to attend school and improve academic performance.

In 2011, the Education Innovation Laboratory at Harvard University argued that “well-designed rewards to students can improve achievement at relatively low costs” (Fryer and Allan, 2011). As a football academy, we design football-based rewards that have real consequences on the lives of our student-athletes. At the end of each week, our teachers decide which student had the best performance in school. Whoever is chosen then gets to decide which type of ‘football challenge’ the entire team will complete for the last fifteen minutes of the next practice. Challenges include mini-games, shooting drills, defensive training, and other fun football-based activities, but different students prefer different challenges. In order to play their favorite one, the students compete to be the best in the classroom. This brings our football and educational programming into conversation, and it ensures our students value their education and commit to their studies.

Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is deeply entrenched in Liberian society, and it is especially prevalent in the education system. While 62% of Liberian boys between the ages of 15 and 24 are literate, only 37% of young women can say the same. Scholars and activists suggest this discrepancy exists because of gendered expectations within the household, the family, and the classroom itself (Gbowee, 2015; Abramowitz and Moran, 2012).

In addition, girls are often denied the opportunity to play organized football. Even though there is a functioning women's national team and an abundance of girls who want to play, football is commonly referred to as 'manball'.

We at LEAD Monrovia Football Academy are confronting gender inequality, and we have been thrilled by the difference in attitude we have seen in our girls. By training with the boys – and often outplaying them on the pitch – our girls have a sense of empowerment that they themselves have vocalized. In addition to having the boys and girls play together, our Liberian staff members constantly engage our students in discussions about gender, challenging them to critically analyze traditional roles.

Football Opportunities

Without LEAD MFA's domestic academy, talented footballers in Liberia are vulnerable to predatory agents offering development opportunities abroad. Culture Foot Solidaire, a French NGO, estimates that 15,000 West African footballers are illegally trafficked overseas every year, with many of them coming from Liberia. According to the BBC, players "gratefully accept invitations" from shady agents who offer them false contracts, confiscate their passports, and abandon them in foreign countries.

Despite these issues, a number of Liberian footballers have played for professional clubs around the world, including George Weah (PSG, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City, AS Monaco), James Debbah (AS Monaco, PSG, Lyon, Nice, Anderlecht), and Christopher Wreh (Arsenal, AS Monaco).

LEAD Monrovia Football Academy provides Liberia's best young footballers with access to professional coaching at an affordable, domestic academy. Since opening in October 2015, we have developed a comprehensive football curriculum that disrupts bad habits, introduces fundamental techniques, and encourages our student-athletes to "think the game" at a high level. In addition, we have acted on our intention to build legitimate partnerships with the best clubs in Liberia and abroad. To date, we have had positive conversations with several Liberian clubs, Hartford Athletic (USA), New England Revolution (USA), and FC Barcelona (Spain).

Nutrition

Liberia's malnutrition rates are among the highest in the world. According to Liberia's Ministry of Health, "more than 1/3 of Liberian children are stunted, 1/5 are underweight, and more than 1/2 suffer from micronutrient deficiencies" (Government of Liberia, National Nutrition Policy). While the government is making a concerted effort to address malnutrition through its National Nutrition Policy and the introduction of a Food Security and National Strategy, a large number of Liberians are not receiving adequate nutrients.

Good nutrition is vital for all athletes, but "the importance of proper nutrition is even greater for the adolescent athlete" (Smith and Jeukendrop, 2013). Scholars and top athletes alike argue that carbohydrate intake prior to high-intensity exercise is vital for performance and stamina. In addition, scholars advise that, after high-intensity training, endogenous carbohydrate supplies should be supplemented by additional carbohydrates and proteins (Beelen et. al., 2015).

At LEAD Monrovia Football Academy, we ensure our student-athletes eat three nutrient-rich meals per day. Breakfasts and dinners are comprised of Liberian staples such as power gari, oats, and cream of wheat. Lunch is the main meal of the day, with big portions of classic Liberian meals (such as potato greens, jollof rice, special rice, etc.) that contain a large amount of carbohydrates, protein, and vegetables. These balanced meals reinvigorate our student-athletes by accelerating their recovery.

Life Skills

Academic classes and football practices are supplemented with life skills lessons on a daily basis. 'Life skills' is a vague concept, but we focus on four key, culturally-relevant areas: leadership, enthusiasm, accountability, and discipline (LEAD). Every day – during training sessions, at lunch, and in class – we make a concerted effort to reinforce these ideas. Student-athletes are encouraged to think critically about their interactions with other people, and then use their analysis to improve as leaders, be more enthusiastic/accountable, and remain disciplined.

For example, at the end of each class, our teachers and students collectively decide whether the students showed leadership, expressed enthusiasm, held themselves accountable, and were disciplined learners. Over time, this consistent messaging is meant to develop our student-athletes' life skills, enabling them to be leaders in their communities.

Healthcare

At LEAD Monrovia Football Academy, we provide each of our staff members and student-athletes with quality healthcare. Activa Liberia provides health insurance for both our staff and student-athletes. The plan covers more than 25 hospitals and clinics across Liberia, giving our staff and student-athletes the flexibility to select their preferred health facility. In addition, our student-athletes receive on-site treatment on a daily basis from our trained medics.

Pastoral Care

We provide support and counseling for each of our student-athletes and staff with emotional, social, and learning needs. Our professional guidance counselor and social workers liaise with families of student-athletes to develop support plans and indicate the contents of the plans to senior staff to create an amenable environment for the progress of student-athletes. The guidance counselor and social workers keep their doors open during academic classes and football training, ensuring that support is available on a daily basis. Our staff with emotional and social needs also seek help and support from our guidance counselor.