The National Lottery Authority (NLA) of Liberia has provided L$152,000 in financial assistance to 56 students with physical disabilities at the University of Liberia, as part of its continued efforts to promote inclusive education and social empowerment.
The support was provided through the NLA’s Education Empowerment Programme (EEP), which aims to help students facing financial barriers to higher education. The latest contribution will assist beneficiaries with their university registration fees and ease some of the financial pressure associated with continuing their studies.
The cheque was presented on August 18, 2026, at the NLA’s Old Road Headquarters in Monrovia. The initiative was coordinated through the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Welfare departments.
For students with disabilities, financial barriers can make accessing and completing higher education more difficult. In addition to tuition and registration fees, some students may face extra expenses related to transportation, accessibility and learning resources.
Through the Education Empowerment Programme, the NLA is helping to address one of these challenges by providing direct financial assistance for university registration.
The initiative reflects the Authority’s commitment to ensuring that physical disability does not prevent qualified students from pursuing higher education and developing skills for greater independence and participation in society. According to the NLA, the Education Empowerment Programme has now entered its fourth year.
The programme supports students with physical disabilities enrolled at public universities and community colleges across Liberia. Rather than being a one-time intervention, it forms part of the NLA’s broader social responsibility efforts to improve access to education for vulnerable groups.
By helping students meet registration requirements, the programme is intended to reduce the risk of financial difficulties disrupting their academic progress. Speaking during the cheque presentation, Hon. Ennish Lamie Fahnbulleh, Deputy Director General for Administration at the NLA, highlighted the importance of ensuring that disability does not become a barrier to educational achievement.
The Authority views education as an important pathway to empowerment, independence and national development and has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening social intervention programmes that promote dignity, inclusion and equal opportunities for people living with disabilities.
The University of Liberia welcomed the contribution on behalf of the beneficiaries. Madam Gertrude Weah Doelu, Administrative Assistant at the University’s Resource Center for Disabilities Support Services and Alternative Learning, received the assistance.
Doelu expressed appreciation for the NLA’s continued support and highlighted the role of the financial assistance in reducing the registration burden faced by the students. She also assured the Authority that the funds would be used for their intended educational purpose. For the 56 beneficiaries, the assistance comes at an important point in their academic journey.
Registration is a key requirement for students continuing their university education, and an inability to meet associated costs can lead to delays or interruptions in their studies. The NLA’s contribution is therefore aimed at helping students remain enrolled and focus on their academic responsibilities without the added pressure of registration fees.
The initiative comes amid broader efforts to improve opportunities for people with disabilities in Liberia. National data indicate that disability remains an important social and development issue in the country, with more than one in ten Liberians aged five and above experiencing some level of functional disability.
Improving access to education can contribute to greater social and economic inclusion by giving students opportunities to develop professional skills, improve their employment prospects and work towards greater financial independence. The latest contribution highlights the NLA’s continued use of its corporate social responsibility programmes to support education and vulnerable communities in Liberia.
By focusing on students with physical disabilities, the Education Empowerment Programme addresses a specific financial barrier while advancing the broader goal of equal access to education.
The L$152,000 provided to 56 University of Liberia students therefore represents more than assistance with registration fees. It forms part of the NLA’s ongoing effort to promote inclusion, educational opportunity and social empowerment across Liberia.
