The Voices of the Elders (VOTE), a Liberian organization, has donated 100 green classroom chairs to the University of Liberia (UL) as part of its "OPERATION SEAT UL" initiative. This initiative aims to provide 22,000 durable chairs to the university to address its long-standing seating deficit. The donation was presented on behalf of Sister Mary Laurene Browne, Chair of VOTE's OPERATION SEAT UL, by Rev. Augustine S. Arkoi, Co-Chair of VOTE and Founder/CEO of the Better Future Foundation (BFF).
The donation is a significant milestone in VOTE's efforts to support the ARREST Agenda, championed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., which prioritizes education, among other sectors. By focusing on the "E" in ARREST, VOTE is exemplifying how civil society and elder statesmen can partner with the government to drive national development and restore dignity to public higher education. Rev. Arkoi emphasized that true nation-building requires active citizen participation, rather than reliance on government intervention alone.
Rev. Arkoi highlighted that the chairs were deliberately crafted in green, symbolizing renewed hope, and that this donation is a prelude to incoming shipments of imported chairs. He solicited continued financial and moral backing from Liberians at home and in the diaspora to realize the 22,000-chair target. The University of Liberia's President, Dr. Layli Maparyan, expressed gratitude to VOTE, describing the organization as one of the university's most faithful and strategic partners.
Dr. Maparyan recalled Sister Mary Laurene Browne's key role in her selection as UL President and praised VOTE's proactive diplomatic leadership during student chair protests in July and August 2025. The university administration appreciated VOTE's efforts to calm tensions and find a solution to the chair situation. Dr. Maparyan also commended VOTE for empowering local entrepreneurs and boosting the Liberian economy by contracting domestic woodworkers to produce durable chairs.
The University Administration has announced an additional contract to local vendors to produce matching sets of lecturer desks and chairs donated by VOTE for every classroom across the university. Emmanuel Perry, an Executive of J. P. A. Wood & Furniture Work, thanked VOTE for trusting local Liberian entrepreneurs and expressed appreciation to Dr. Maparyan for the new contract award.
The ceremonial handover concluded with a solemn prayer of consecration and exhortation for peace, unity, and love among the university administration, government, students, and civic stakeholders, officiated by His Grace, Archbishop Victor Moses Olasemojo. Rev. Arkoi and Dr. Maparyan jointly called on the student body and university leadership to cherish and protect the new chairs to ensure long-term utility for future generations of Liberian scholars.
Voices of the Elders (VOTE)- Republic of Liberia is an organization of elder statesmen, women, and civic leaders dedicated to promoting national unity, sustainable peace, good governance, and citizen-led development across Liberia. Under the stewardship of Madam Maureen Johnson Hutcheson as its Chairperson, VOTE continues to play a significant role in supporting national development initiatives.
Key points
- The University of Liberia receives 100 green classroom chairs from Voices of the Elders to address seating deficit
- VOTE's "OPERATION SEAT UL" initiative aims to provide 22,000 durable chairs to the university
- The donation is a significant milestone in VOTE's efforts to support the ARREST Agenda and national development in Liberia
