In a country where activism is often measured by protest slogans and press statements, Liberian exiled activist Martin K. N. Kollie is redefining what it truly means to fight for a nation. His work just in 2025 demonstrates that activism, at its most powerful, must move beyond resistance and into restoration — beyond safeguarding national resources to investing directly in human capital, especially the youth.
“As an activist, it is not enough to just advocate and fight for our people in Liberia. We must also help to find sustainable solutions to their problems,” Kollie said during his 2025 year-end review.
That statement has proven to be more than rhetoric. It has become a roadmap for action.
While Kollie is widely known for his fearless advocacy and critical stance against corruption and bad governance — positions that forced him into exile following his opposition to the Weah administration — his humanitarian and educational footprint in 2025 tells a deeper, more enduring story. It is the story of an activist who chose fighting over comfort, scholarships over silence, and empowerment over applause.
In one year alone, Kollie facilitated full four-year university scholarships for 40 Liberians at Smythe University College, with deliberate inclusion: county student unions, persons with disabilities, and people with albinism were all represented. Beyond that, dozens of high school and university students across institutions such as AMEU, UMU, AMEZU, and the University of Liberia received scholarships and financial aid.
Technical and vocational education — a critical but often neglected sector — was a major focus. Over 300 young people benefited from TVET scholarships at institutions including AVTI, GONET Academy, ForLife, AlphaTech, LYCEP, and others across Montserrado, Margibi, and Bong.
Adolescent girls, young professionals, and unemployed youth were given not just skills, but dignity and opportunity. At the University of Liberia alone, Kollie paid L$300,000 in entrance fees for 100 students, including visually impaired and deaf Liberians.
Education was not limited to degrees and certificates. Kollie sponsored WAEC tutorials and mentorship programs for more than 1,300 students nationwide, donated Starlink high-speed internet to William V. S. Tubman High School, and supported aspiring journalists at the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism. These interventions addressed both access and quality — two of Liberia’s most pressing educational challenges.
His impact extended into community development and social welfare. From donating cement for the Press Union of Liberia headquarters, rice to Muslim communities during Ramadan, and relief supplies to elderly citizens and persons with disabilities, to supporting a disabled single mother in Bong with a wheelchair, sewing machine, and business grant —Kollie’s activism carried a human face.
Culture, unity, and justice were not left behind. He promoted Liberian artists, supported festivals and concerts that foster social cohesion, backed local start-ups, raised tens of thousands of U.S. dollars for medical cases, hired lawyers for abused Liberians, and organized an international webinar to combat migration scams.
The momentum has not slowed. From late 2025 into early 2026, Kollie has begun constructing a modern bus stop in Bomi County, provided fully funded scholarships for 75 students in Margibi County, and recently celebrated the graduation of 20 Liberians at GONET Academy — many of whom described his intervention as life-changing.
Unsurprisingly, calls are growing for Kollie to contest the Montserrado County Senate seat. While he has neither accepted nor declined, his work already answers a larger question: what leadership rooted in service looks like.
At Verity News, we recognize and appreciate these enormous contributions to Liberia. Martin K. N. Kollie’s journey reminds us that exile does not silence purpose — and that empowering the youth may be the strongest form of activism of all.
