The Government of Liberia estimates that 116 000 children aged 5 to 19 live in our working area. An estimated 20% of primary-school-aged children are out of school. In Liberia, only about 54% of children complete primary school.
Damiefa School offers the national Liberian educational curriculum, supplemented by reading comprehension, digital skills, art and basic agriculture programs. Our teaching blends the national curriculum with international best practices, allowing students to gain critical skills in literacy, numeracy, creativity, problem-solving, and digital literacy.
Each year, the school organizes various events like the annual Spelling Bee, Culture Day and parent-teacher meetings that engage parents and celebrate Liberian culture. The school is also a sponsor of the Dabwe Town annual sports league which fosters community spirit and engages community members.
Key Features
Liberian national curriculum
We offer the Liberian national curriculum as prescribed by the Ministry of Education. In addition, we offer various subjects that have been designed especially for Damiefa School. International expert volunteers help build the capacity of our teachers to make sure that modern pedagogy is integrated into our teaching.
Reading and digital skills
We partner with Liberia Reads! to offer a structured reading programme for students from kindergarten through grade 6 that is focused on strengthening literacy and comprehension. We also provide computer lessons to teach students the digital skills that they will need in today’s digital world. Computer lessons are given from Grade 2 upwards.
Art and Agriculture
Our Art Education program uses engaging activities that link to core subjects, helping students build creativity and critical thinking. Our program is supervised by international volunteers. The school’s agriculture program builds on the work that Dabwe Wiah and Mineke Foundation started and teaches children skills that they can replicate at home and elsewhere.
During and after the war
Damiefa School was founded in 1982 by Dabwe Wiah and his Dutch wife, Mineke Muilerman. During and after the civil war (1989–2003), the school remained open as much as possible despite suffering significant damage. After the war, the school gradually fell into decline. In 2012, it was forced to close. The renovation of the school, carried out between 2020 and 2023, was made possible by Stichting Pharus. The school reopened in November 2021.