Why we do what we do...

Dear Friend,
Welcome and please meet the Founder and President of Dream Project Liberia (DPL). My name is Patrick A. Sowah, Sr. I am a 2013 graduate of the University of Liberia, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in History. I am currently studying Clinical Mental Health at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. In May 2022, I will earn a Master’s of Science degree in Counseling, specializing in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling. Moreover, I am certified in Childhood Trauma, Skills for Psychological Recovery, Career Counseling, Certified Medication Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, Behavioral Care Specialist, and Motivational Interviewing, among the many certifications I have earned.

I am a native son of Liberia, originating from Lofa County, West Africa, and a former refugee. I am the Founder and President of Dream Project Liberia (DPL), based in Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA. I am a former National Youth Policy Compliance Coordinator of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Republic of Liberia, and former Student Council President of the University of Liberia.

I also served as President of the Political Science Student Association of the University of Liberia and represented Liberia in the US at the 2013 Model African Union Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

I am the second of my siblings; one sister with four brothers, and I have two boys: Patrick Sowah Jr and Emmanuel D. Sowah. My two boys are in Liberia, but I hope they will one day join me in the US.

My father, the late James K. Sowah, perished during the heat of the Liberian Civil War in a refugee camp in a neighboring country in West Africa called Guinea in 1997. My mother is currently in Monrovia, Liberia, is paralyzed and unable to walk due to a back injury. She needs spinal surgery, but such a procedure is not available in Liberia, so I trust God to help me bring her to the US for proper treatment.

I have been in the United States for seven years. I came to the US alone, with no family and limited access to resources. However, my curiosity for learning and knowledge led me to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I chose Mental Health Counseling as a major because of my life experiences. Although I came to the United States with no family and very few resources, this did not hinder my optimism about my future as a practicing counselor. I truly believe you can reach your goals and dreams through hard work and dedication. I have developed a strong work ethic, and my integrity is essential to me.

I believe my commitment to helping those in need sets me apart from others. I grew up in a third-world country, survived four civil wars, overcame extreme poverty and oppression. As a result of the hardships I endured, I am a person who possesses empathy for others. I seek to dedicate my education and training to helping others develop the skills needed to overcome adversarial situations. Furthermore, I strive to be an agent of positive change by helping those who are struggling with mental health challenges to have a quality of life.

My native country of Liberia experienced brutal civil wars that took the lives of over two hundred thousand of our people. I was blessed to have survived four of Liberia's civil wars, from 1990 up to 2003, when the wars finally ended. During the heat of the civil war, I had to go to the neighboring country of Guinea for refuge. Still, unfortunately, I lost my father during the civil war, and my mother is now paralyzed in Liberia.

I have overcome extreme poverty and oppression. As a result of the hardships I endured, I am a person who possesses empathy for others. Hence, I seek to dedicate my education and training to help others develop the skills needed to overcome adversarial situations. I also strive to be an agent of positive change by helping those struggling with mental health challenges have a quality of life and by helping to provide for less fortunate children and orphans.

My philosophy is to use my gifts and talents to help improve the lives of war-affected children in my country and people struggling with mental health issues. More specifically, I desire to help the people in the Republic of Liberia and the world who are faced with mental health issues but cannot access therapeutic support. My demonstration of compassion and love for my native country is an expression of my worldview, which is "To show love and respect is the beginning of mental health growth and healing." 

The Dream Project Liberia first began in 2014 when I had just moved over to the US to Baltimore, Maryland, and seeing all of the opportunities in this great land; I decided to use the opportunity I had been given to help give back to war-affected children in Liberia. At my own expense, I have shipped canned food, clothes, school materials, paid hospital bills, and have close to 600 children I am sponsoring in school out of my individual efforts.

The annual school fee is around $50, unobtainable to more than half the families in Liberia, who subsist on less than $1.25 US per day. Dream Project Liberia has been created because many hands can help many more. God Bless You and thank you for joining me in helping the children of Liberia have a better future, starting today! I invite you to become a member of the Dream Team and join us in helping the children by volunteering or donating.

Please click here to view our gallery of pictures.

Click here for  a printable brochure to share.

Much Love and Respect,
Patrick A. Sowah, Sr.