(BPRW) ALPHA KAPPA ALP HA VOWS T O HELP RE STORE HOP E TO WAR- RAVAGED L IBERIA TH ROUGH A U NIQUE PAR TNERSHIP
(BLACK PR WIRE) Chicago, Illinois - October 30, 2006 - With a resolve to bring help and hope to war-ravaged Liberia, Alpha Kappa Alpha's International President Barbara A. McKinzie announced that the Sorority would mobilize its 200,000 members worldwide to commit their treasure, time and resources to assist the beleaguered nation. In her call, McKinzie asked members to particularly focus on helping the millions of women and children who have been devastated by the lack of educational opportunities, and lack of hope that the war left in its wake.
The announcement was made following an appeal made to McKinzie from Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha's chapter in Liberia.
In reaching out to Alpha Kappa Alpha, Member/President Johnson-Sirleaf observed that her mission to educate and empower Liberia's citizenry, especially women and children, parallels the sorority's 98-year record of commitment to education and its tradition of empowering communities.
The outreach represents an extension of President Johnson-Sirleaf's vow made during her inauguration where she made history as the first female to be elected president of an African nation.
During the installation, which was attended by members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as well as First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Johnson-Sirleaf pledged to tackle the pressing demands of the country that have no easy answers nor solutions. To address these challenges, she turned to friends worldwide for help and launched an awareness crusade about the depths of the problems.
"The nation's vibrant economy and infrastructure have been demolished and rebuilding them is a top priority. The challenges are too massive to be addressed solely through internal funds," declared Johnson-Sirleaf.
In outlining the challenge ahead, she pointed out that women and girls are the greatest victims of the war.
"The children who represent the nation's future are many and the need is urgent. Girls and young women are especially in need of support to obtain education."
The newly-elected president of Liberia entrusted and empowered the Liberian Education Trust (LET) to be the conduit for collecting funds and pledges of support. LET is a charitable trust whose purpose is to support the restoration of basic education in postwar recovery Liberia. LET is a project of the Phelps-Stokes Fund, America's oldest continuously operating foundation serving the needs of African Americans, Native Americans, Africans and the rural and urban poor. The Fund is a 501(c) (3), nonprofit organization and has an impressive track record of effecting change.
In pledging the support of its 200,000 membership, President McKinzie declared: "Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. strongly identifies with, and supports efforts of our illustrious member, President Johnson-Sirleaf to bring reform, resources and hope to Liberia. Her quest to serve her nation, to effect change in Liberia and to improve the status of women particularly resonates with Alpha Kappa Alpha. We believe all women should realize their aspirations and we commit to embrace, support and draw from our substantial sister power and influential network to uplift this nation."
McKinzie said that as part of the nation-building thrust, the Sorority would mount a multi-pronged offensive to:
Raise funds
Promote awareness
Participate in fact-finding tours and goodwill missions
Mobilize efforts to send resources to the region
Dispatch members to the country whose skill sets, expertise and resources will help the country
Forge partnerships with like-minded organizations whose missions parallel Alpha Kappa Alpha's goals for Liberia
Draw attention to the support initiatives through an aggressive media campaign
The partnership was officially forged at a LET launch reception recently held in New York City that was co-hosted by AKA and attended by President Johnson-Sirleaf and high-ranking members of the Sorority including Dr. Gloria Harper Dickinson, International Regional Director, who represented President McKinzie; and reception co-host, The Honorable Alice M. Dear, AKA Representative to the United Nations Association of NGOs.
At the gala kickoff, Dickinson said, "I speak on behalf of International President McKinzie in praising President Johnson-Sirleaf for her courage as a change agent in Liberia. Her task is daunting but not insurmountable. With Alpha Kappa Alpha as a partner in her mission, we will achieve success!"
Following that pronouncement, Alpha Kappa Alpha made an initial contribution and made a vow to raise more. All totaled, the occasion raised $216,850 in monies and pledges from a wide swath of concerned citizens who support President Johnson-Sirleaf and share her vision for Liberia's future.
McKinzie's administration is marked by the theme: ESP, which stands for Economics, Service and Partnerships. She said the alliance with LET will allow AKA to draw from all of the ESP elements in its mission to aid Liberia. She added that assisting that nation will be one of her administration's program priorities; that message will be fanned out to its members in more than 900 chapters in the United States and worldwide.
Founded in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha is the oldest and largest sorority of its kind. Because of its stature and nearly 100-year-record of service, AKA is hailed as "America's premiere Greek-lettered organization for Black women." Its membership includes high-profile women from all walks of life and from all disciplines including astronaut and physician Dr. Mae Jemison, poet Maya Angelou, actress Phylicia Rashad, entertainer Gladys Knight, entrepreneur Suzanne de Passe, U.K. Member of Parliament Diane Abbott, performing artist Alicia Keys and a host of local, regional and national political leaders.
Newly-installed International President Barbara A. McKinzie will serve as AKA's leader from 2006-2010. Because her term coincides with the Sorority's Centennial in 2008, she is hailed as the Centennial National President and her term is characterized as the Centennial Administration.
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