FENDALL CAMPUS – A month-long Holiday Tech Camp (HTC) hosted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) at the University of Liberia (UL) has climaxed with about 53 kids completing the program.
Hosted at the UL-based University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at Lake View in Fendall, Montserrado County, the tech camp was held for children aged 7–16, in primary, elementary, and secondary schools from July 16 to August 16, 2025.
The official closing program was held on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at Lake View, bringing together participants and their parents, UL and UNDP authorities, and other stakeholders, among others.
This initiative aims to equip participants with essential digital skills—including coding, electronics, drone technology, virtual reality, Digital creativity, robotics, digital storytelling, 3D printing, cyber safety, sustainability, and Climate tech while fostering creativity, problem-solving, and early interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
The Camp aligns national development priorities under the ARREST Agenda and supports global goals such as SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work), and SDG 9 (Innovation).
Initially starting in Monrovia, the program is intended to expand to other counties.
Greeting the kids with deep excitement about their achievement during the program, UL President, Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan expressed hope that some of them are not just innovators, but also entrepreneurs.
“If you become an entrepreneur, it becomes your work. You make money, and you become a job creator. And when you become a job creator, Liberia prospers,” President Maparyan said.
She suggested that the Tech Camp program just completed may be one of the most transformational moments in the kids’ lives.
“Some of you came in with very little experience with computers and tech. And now you are leaving knowing so much about it with so much capability to lead Liberia in the tech sector,” the UL President said.
In motivating the kids, Dr. Maparyan challenged them to carry the spirit of the Holiday Tech Camp with them at home and to advance their tech education on their own time.
“I want you to remember how you felt during the holiday tech camp and I want you to take that back to your schools and tell your teachers this is what was exciting. I learned. I grew. I had fun. I want our school to be more like this,” she continued.
Dr. Maparyan admonished the kids to think of the UniPod as their second home and to go there anytime they want to work on their ideas.
“You have not only the UniPod, but you have all of the University of Liberia at your disposal. You have people of all different ages who want to work with you and help you, and who want you to help us as well,” said Dr. Maparyan.
She thanked all who helped to make the Holiday Tech Camp at UniPod a success, stating that all of them are filled with passion for innovation.
UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Aliou Mamadou Dia thanked Dr. Maparyan for the opportunity given through the partnership, saying he likes the way she has laid out what she wants to do as President of the University.
“We are thinking about big things for the University of Liberia, but also for Liberia,” said Mr. Dia.
“This is the smallest thing that we are aiming to do with the University of Liberia, and in the coming weeks, people will see what is in the making. We are having big ideas,” Mr. Dia continued.
For his part, Hon. Nathaniel Cisco, Jr., the Assistant Minister for Technical Vocational Education (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Inclusive Education at the Ministry of Education, expressed excitement about the fantastic work being done at UniPod.
“And I was just discussing with Prof. that we will track you. All right. There are big opportunities in STEM, in Science and Technology, Robotics,” he noted.
Earlier, UL Vice President for Institutional Development and Planning, Associate Prof. Weade Kobbah Boley, told parents that through the Holiday Tech Camp at UniPod, their children are transformed, including some who had never seen a computer.
“So, parents, we set out to empower the next generation of Liberian tech innovators. We had hoped we would have 50 students. Somewhere along the line, it went up to 60. I think 53 completed the program,” said Prof. Boley. Mr. Nzometiah Nervis, Tech Innovator and STEM Consultant, explained that the kids learned coding and programming, which is the foundation of everything that has to do with technology. He added that they learned about robotics, graphic design, drone piloting, and other programs.
