A month-long Holiday Tech Camp (HTC), organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the University of Liberia (UL), has successfully concluded with 53 children completing the program.

Held from July 16 to August 16, 2025, at the University Innovation Pod (UniPod) located at Lake View in Fendall, Montserrado County, the camp welcomed children aged 7 to 16 from primary, elementary, and secondary schools.

The initiative aimed to equip participants with essential digital skills while fostering creativity, problem-solving, and early interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

The children explored a wide range of tech disciplines, including coding, electronics, robotics, drone technology, virtual reality, digital storytelling, 3D printing, cyber safety, sustainability, and climate tech.

The official closing ceremony took place on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at Lake View, bringing together students, parents, UL and UNDP staff, and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the event, UL President Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan expressed pride in the children’s achievements and encouraged them to continue nurturing their tech skills. “Some of you came in with very little experience with computers and tech. Now, you’re leaving with the capability to lead Liberia’s tech future,” she said.

Dr. Maparyan emphasized the potential for participants to become not only 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,” she noted.

She urged the children to carry the spirit of the camp into their schools and homes, and to view the UniPod as a second home where they can continue developing their ideas. “You have the University of Liberia at your disposal. People of all ages want to work with you and help you—and we want you to help us too,” she added.

UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Aliou Mamadou Dia thanked Dr. Maparyan for her visionary leadership and reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting innovation and education in Liberia. “This is just the beginning. We are thinking big for the University of Liberia and Liberia as a whole,” he said.

Assistant Minister for TVET, STEM, and Inclusive Education at the Ministry of Education, Nathaniel Cisco, Jr., praised the work being done at UniPod and hinted at future opportunities for the camp’s graduates. “We will track you. There are big opportunities in STEM, in science and technology, and robotics,” he said.

UL Vice President for Institutional Development and Planning, Associate Prof. Weade Kobbah Boley, highlighted the transformative impact of the camp. “Some of these children had never seen a computer before. We set out to empower the next generation of Liberian tech innovators—and we did,” she said.

Tech Innovator and STEM Consultant Mr. Nzometiah Nervis shared that the children learned foundational skills in coding and programming, as well as robotics, graphic design, and drone piloting.

The Holiday Tech Camp aligns with Liberia’s national development priorities under the ARREST Agenda and supports global goals, including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work), and SDG 9 (Innovation). Initially launched in Monrovia, the program is expected to expand to other counties.