Minnesota Couple’s Inspiring Mission: Building an Accessible Orphanage and Clinic in Liberia

Minnesota Couple's Inspiring Mission Building an Accessible Orphanage and Clinic in Liberia
Image By: CBS News

A couple from the Twin Cities spent all of their meager funds to launch a movement and purpose that is saving hundreds of abandoned children. Prince Cole and Agnes are aware of the conflict.

“Living in Africa with disabilities was really, really hard. I went through a lot,” Agnes stated.

One leg was shorter at birth. Prince lost use of both of his arms and legs when he was a teenager in Liberia due to illness.

“If you have disabilities in Liberia, like society don’t count you amongst the population. So it was very difficult for me in Liberia,” Prince stated. “I was rejected, I was neglected.”

The couple then immigrated to America and settled in Blaine.

“And then one day she was studying, I was in the living room. a phone call came from Liberia and it was one of her friends with disabilities, and said, ‘Agnes, we are starving. As I’m speaking to you we lost two kids with disabilities because of starvation, so we need your help,'” he stated.

The Disability Motivational Network got its start when Prince went to TCF Bank during a Minnesota winter and sent them every penny they had, which came to $110.

They constructed an easily accessible orphanage in a few of years, and it is now the home of several abandoned kids.

“When we open the gate sometimes we see, in Liberia, three, four kids with disabilities lying on the floor and we can’t send them away, so we have to bring them in,” he stated. “So most of the kids in the orphanage, we don’t know where they come from, but we’re taking care of them.”

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Currently, they provide assistance to over 100 inhabitants and 300 students. They have also sent twenty children to college. They are now focusing on grownups.

“Ninety-nine percent of the hospitals in Liberia are not accessible, not at all,” he stated.

A new, easily accessible clinic was just constructed.

“Something I have noticed in the disability community, I have met so many people with really good attitudes,” he stated. “When you’re sad, you won’t be able to accomplish what you want to accomplish. But with a positive attitude, you can accomplish lots of achievements in this life, especially when you have a disability.” 

After completing their accessible clinic, Agnes and Prince are now looking for local donations of furniture and medical supplies of all kinds.

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With more than two years of expertise in news and analysis, Eileen Stewart is a seasoned reporter. Eileen is a respected voice in this field, well-known for her sharp reporting and insightful analysis. Her writing covers a wide range of subjects, from politics to culture and more.