The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Alumni Association in Liberia has reaffirmed its commitment to knowledge-sharing, community service, and strengthening bilateral relations between Liberia and South Korea through an educational outreach program targeting university and secondary school students.
The initiative brought together Liberian professionals who have participated in various training programs in South Korea under the sponsorship of KOICA, providing them an opportunity to share their acquired knowledge, professional experiences, and expertise with students and other members of the public.
Speaking at separate knowledge sharing program for students at the African Methodist Episcopal University, AMEU, on Camp Johnson Road and the Bishop L.J. Barnes in New Kru Town on the Bushrod Island, over the weekend, Allison K. Telee, president of the KOICA Alumni Association in Liberia, described the association as a professional network of individuals working in various sectors, including public finance, banking, and commerce, who have benefited from specialized training opportunities in South Korea.
Telee, who also serves as a lecturer at the university hosting the engagement, said the association was established to ensure that knowledge and skills acquired abroad contribute to Liberia’s professional development and institutional growth.
He explained that members of the association have received training in different disciplines, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to knowledge transfer across various academic and professional fields.
Telee disclosed that his own training in South Korea focused on finance, with an emphasis on capital markets.
According to him, the association has identified three core areas of engagement: knowledge-sharing, social responsibility, and the promotion of bilateral and people-to-people relations between Liberia and South Korea.
He said the campus outreach program forms part of the association’s knowledge-sharing initiative, which seeks to expose students to practical experiences and professional insights that can complement their academic studies.
“This is why we are here,” Telee said, explaining that the association has been visiting institutions of higher learning to share the expertise its members acquired through training programs in South Korea.
He noted that the initiative is particularly important because students preparing to enter the workforce can benefit from the experiences of professionals who have already navigated the transition from academic life to their respective careers.
The association’s second area of focus, Telee said, is social responsibility, which involves reaching out to underserved communities and supporting vulnerable people, including patients in hospitals, through humanitarian activities and the distribution of essential items.
He added that the association also seeks to strengthen cooperation between Liberia and South Korea, both at the governmental level and through personal relationships between citizens of the two countries.
Telee explained that stronger people-to-people connections could create opportunities for collaboration in education, professional development, trade, and other areas of mutual interest.
He further expressed optimism that such relationships could eventually support initiatives that promote local production in Liberia and facilitate the exchange of goods, services, and expertise between the two countries.
Earlier, representative of the Bishop L.J Barnes School in New Kru Town welcomed the association and expressed appreciation for selecting his institution as a venue for the educational engagement.
The representative said the school was pleased to provide a platform for professionals to interact with students and share practical knowledge gained through international training and experience.
Also, in remarks at AMEU, Mrs. Rita Carter a representative described the event as a unique knowledge-sharing opportunity and encouraged students to listen attentively to the presenters and make the most of the experiences being shared.
She observed that many of the professionals participating in the program had once been students themselves and urged the audience to recognize the value of learning from people who had progressed into their respective professions.
The representative acknowledged the students who attended the program and encouraged them to remain engaged throughout the presentations.
She also thanked the association for its continued interest in using educational institutions as avenues for professional development and student engagement.
The KOICA Alumni Association’s outreach initiative reflects efforts to bridge the gap between academic instruction and professional practice by connecting students with experienced practitioners who have benefited from international capacity-building programs.
Through such engagements, the association hopes to contribute to human-capital development in Liberia while strengthening the longstanding relationship between Liberia and South Korea.
