STEPHEN Y. JACKSON

Stephen was born as a refugee in Zerokore Guinea. He started his primary education there up to junior high level. His family later moved to Liberia where he completed his schooling. Stephen started volunteering at YMCA as a Janitor after which he was promoted to an IT head of the Media Resource Center (MRC). He later moved to LUYCSD as a programme Supervisor and he has achieved a lot due to his highly innovative contribution to each activity of their project.

“Believe in yourself and add value to your life”

Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings!

I am Stephen Y. Jackson. Former janitor, data entry clerk, report editor, IT head of the Ganta YMCA within the Republic of Liberia and presently hold the position of a Programme Supervisor/acting Financial Officer of the Liberian United Youth for Community Safety and Development LUYCSD INC. I was born unto the union of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson in the year 1997.

I grew up as a refugee in Guinea and was primarily schooled there. My mother bore us, 2 girls first then 5 boys, but one left to meet God because time was so hard that we couldn't afford to look after him. I am the senior of my brothers and the third born of the children. We were all primarily schooled in Zerokore, Guinea, as refugees but only my two big sisters completed their education in exile. We completed our education in Liberia. My parents are Christians. I'm also a Christian not because they are, but because I believe and have accepted the Lord as my personal Lord and Saviour. I grew up very shy and focus driven. I didn't have too many friends because I was bullied. Well, I enjoyed my childhood days with my loving and caring parents. In my church, I was the Children President and teacher also. I loved singing as I still do. I sing well, play drums and also try keyboard/piano playing. I learned my instrument in Liberia when we escaped in 2013 from Guinea as a result of the war between the Mandingo and Kpelleh tribes that later changed to the Christians and Muslims war that nearly took away my family's lives.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

The issue of school-related sexual exploitation and abuse is on the increase in institutions of learning from primary school up to university. There is no day that passes by without one reading through newspapers about rape, harassment, forced marriages, etc. Especially the issue of drugs overdosing by youth. Nowadays, you see children pregnant, especially girls who have dropped out of school. Like tonight, a lot of children are on the street, small girls. Some of these things happen because of poverty, peer-pressure, low self-esteem, and lack of skills. Some of their parents encourage them to sell their bodies so as to get food at home. Some do it to enable them to pay their school fees, teachers sell grades for sex also. Some of the drug-abused youth are engaged in it because their parents are poor to support their dreams, some peer pressure, some indecisiveness in life, and some lack of skills to earn.

I feel sorry for them, I wish they knew their worth. I encourage some of them to study but you can't encourage them without any assistance. Some of their parents died during the epidemic crises leaving no means of survival for them and no skills. Most of the females have dropped out of school because of unwanted pregnancy and they ended up on the street.

We need to create awareness and sensitisation as well as skills training programmes and financial assistance for them to enable them to regain their self-worth and hope. Some of them want to stop, but that is their only hope of funding. But with God and constant engagements as well as the within-named assistance, I believe it will yield results.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them?

I left Guinea along with my siblings and my Mom, leaving my Dad and my oldest sister in exile. We were hosted by the Rev. John Baryogar in the "Bethel" (now Harvest Intercontinental Ministry). I am such a shy person even now; I fight with it. I don't talk too much. When we came, we started affiliating with the Harvesters and I took an interest in playing the instruments. I first started with drums, then keyboard/piano, then lead singing and now still serving as senior lead singer. It wasn't easy but I made it. I became an inspiration to all the youth in Ganta City because I took the Title of the Best drummer from 2015 until 2019. I started working in the YMCA as a janitor while playing my drums only to complete my school and support the house including sponsoring all my brothers so that we can all complete our education. It was God's doing. Imagine living with your Mom and 4 brothers, and 2 grandchildren in a different land. You have to feed the family, pay rent, send yourself to school, and send all your brothers including the grandchildren to school. It was tedious but God was blessing me. I started as Janitor recommended by Rev. Baryogars' wife to the YMCA. I later ascended to an IT head position without going to computer school but learning from friends. I spied and asked questions until I was good enough. I served as data entry clerk, report editor and IT head of the Media Resource Centre that was sponsored by USAID in collaboration with YMCA.

After the project expired in 2019, at the time I had just completed my first year in college and was planning for my second one but because of too many responsibilities, I dropped out. I couldn't be in school and watch my Mom and my siblings die of hunger, I couldn't be in school and watch the house owner throw us out and my Dad didn't have work when he later joined us. I don't wish to share this but I have to. I grew up with friends bullying me in school, I wore torn uniforms to school but thank God. Well, after I dropped out, a friend of my Mom promised to take me to the city and sponsor me since my Mom now had a business by God's grace. I serve only to forward my education but ended up disappointed and trafficked. I don't want to go too deep, but my experience was terrible. Well, when I look back at all my terrible experiences, I don't see them as terrible as they seem to be. I classify them as values added. They add value to lives. Especially the one that I just went through; human trafficking. I nearly went mad with such disappointment. Imagine coming back from the city with shame and disgrace, no money, no clothes, just empty. Even jail is better than coming from town like that with nothing especially as I am very popular in this city. The best drummer went to school and came back home with disappointment. I was already a shameful and shy person, imagine me… Lord, I'm grateful that today I am getting over it. Anyways,I will stop here. God has helped me forget about it. All my challenges, I classify them as life value adders; this helps you live well, brings the best out of you, and makes you value yourself.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

The role of mentorship is essential to me because it will help me share details of my experiences with others who are on the verge of giving up. To give them hope, to help them redefine their lives. To give them reasons to keep pushing forward.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share?  

Life has actually taught me a lot of things that words cannot express. The first thing is, to believe in God, because the Bible says, the curse is any man who puts his hope in another man. Secondly, believe in yourself, thirdly, use your God-given ability wisely. God has put something into us that we constantly overlook. Most often, circumstances such as challenges, help bring the best out of us. It adds value to our lives by making us value ourselves.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

The Liberian United Youth for Community Safety and Development is helping the indigenous and marginalised. We have currently opened an agricultural farm and small vocational training for females. To help the few that we can, until donors see the need to help us; whether government or overseas. We strongly need partnership and funding to help meet our goals.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Women face the issue of sexual exploitation. In the sense that the majority of places they might apply, there are people who want to have affairs with them before awarding them jobs. Nowadays, to get employed is like, " Nothing for Nothing". We have few organisations that prioritise women’s participation and want to see them rise. The issue of gender equality still needs more awareness and sensitisation because only a few people like 1% out of 100% are gender balanced. As I said, people want to exploit women sexually before awarding them employment. But I am of a strong conviction that I can make a change. Change must first begin with the one who wants to make a change before it can extend to others. One thing I did promise myself to never do until I am done with my school, is to have sex with anyone and God has helped me with this. This is my secret. It is not that I don't want to, but I am not yet ready until I have attained my degree. I want to honour God by marrying before putting myself into it. That is not the issue, the issue is to bring change and I set an example to prove that I strongly believe that I can be that agent of change.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by.

With God, all things are possible.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do?

I would launch a project entitled: School-Related Sexual Exploitation and Abused because I want to be an agent of change by creating a different mindset to females and giving them a sense of self-worth.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add? 

This is our website https://www.luycsd.org

I really appreciate my mentor, Mr. Mikias Sissay. He's more like a father to me. He taught me a lot when I was very discouraged about some things.