Mary David

Meet Mary David, co-chair of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Nikpachilu Public School, Liberia. With four children at the school, Mary is a very strong advocate for Bridge and is keen to share her experiences.

Nikpachilu is a village in Maryland county, far into the jungle along the border with Ivory Coast. It takes over an hour to get to the nearest town by motorbike, and this is impossible to access during the wet season.

Mary herself never went to school, but this makes her more determined than ever to transform the lives of her children and her community. She says that at PTA meetings, ‘We talk about how to cater to our children and their wellbeing, including how to look over their work and make sure they’re learning.’

Her children: Jemama, Moses, Elijah, and Cecelia are progressing extremely well with Bridge’s support, she explains: “Bridge is a great help to us,” Mary says, “Our kids get free uniforms, free food while in school and there’s no tuition to pay.”

Mary has found that Bridge has helped not only its pupils, but also the community. Their education helps the elders in the village communicate with the outside world, and read letters that have come from elsewhere. She wants to see more children benefit from Bridge which she describes as a “shining light” in her community.