Hi Everyone!

By Rita J. Gailor

Left to Right: Rita, Kavita and Farzana 

Rita J. Gailor is my name. I am a Liberian. My Dad's name is Everett B Gailor Sr. and he is from Grand Cape Mount County while my mom's name is Mary W Gailor and she’s from Sinoe County.  

I am from a family of eight (8), that includes my parents. I am the last born among my siblings. 

I traveled to Ghana at the age of (10) ten years with my immediate family on a resettlement program in the year 2000. We sat for an interview and did not make it. This led to my stay in Ghana. My stay in Ghana wasn’t an easy one. My family and I struggle through out just to make life since my parents had no job at that time. 

I graduated 2008 from Wisdom Academy in Kasoa Cp Last Stop. After I completed 2008 I wasn’t financially fit to enter a university at the time. I was home not going to school and not working also. 

One day my older brother told me about an NGO called Respect Ghana who had a computer school and was offering free computer courses. He made inquiries about the school and that was how I enroll into the school through the encouragement of my brother. I started the school but could not complete due to   the decision made by the administration. The administration decided to close the school down because they wanted to transfer the organization back home. During the period I spent at the school I learned Microsoft Word and started learning Excel when the administration made that decision. 

Because of how good our teacher was, I started gaining interest and decided to complete the Microsoft package. I told my parents and big brother about it and they embraced the idea. I went to a school called Prosperity Computer  School to make inquiries then I saw that the fees was affordable. I started with the Microsoft package again, after completing Microsoft, I saw that I grew more interested in learning computer courses. 

Seeing my self-making some birthday cards, certificate and other graphics work using Microsoft word and Publisher, I then decided to forward by doing some graphic courses like Corel Draw and Photo Shop. After that graphic course I took pride in learning more but I never had the hands to continue to a higher level, so I registered for sewing classes because I wanted to do something instead of sitting home. 

Right after my first two (2) months in the sewing school I had the opportunity to continue my computer education at Aptech Computer Education located at Dankuman Junction, Accra. I went with the mind set of doing Database but I learnt Html, Database, and Dreamweaver among others. 

I completed and came back to Liberia November 24 2013. 

January 2014 I had the opportunity to work at the National Election Commission in their Data Center as a Data Analyst, Quality control staff and a tally Clerk during the 2014 Senatorial Election processes as a contractor. 

I applied for a position of a data clerk through the Mercy Corps Apprenticeship program and I was linked to this noble institution (NATC) to serve as a trainee which I see as a great opportunity to achieve my goals of becoming one of Liberia's successful Female IT Persons.  

Presently I am at The New Africa Technology Company as a trainee through the Mercy Corps Apprenticeship program. 

I want to say a big thanks to Mercy Corps and the Administration of NATC for this great opportunity of another step forward in achieving my goals.