Early on in their marriage, doTERRA® Wellness Advocate LaReita Berky and her husband decided they wanted their children to have opportunities to serve in order to help them gain a more rounded perspective on life and the world. When their children were teenagers, LaReita and her husband had the opportunity to take them to Ghana for a service trip. After this initial trip, LaReita returned to Ghana several more times, as her passion for serving the people of Ghana grew stronger.

After visiting, LaReita became increasingly concerned about the issue of literacy within the country of Ghana, particularly among Liberian refugees. She was thrilled when a close friend founded Families Mentoring Families—a nonprofit organization created to help promote literacy in Ghanaian communities. LaReita became the secretary of the organization, ready to help address the issue of illiteracy.

Speaking about her passion for literacy, LaReita said, “Having parents who were avid readers, I know the importance of literacy, and I know that it begins with families. Literacy is the foundation to success.” Families Mentoring Families is designed to give families greater opportunities to build leadership and vocational skills, as well as develop other important skills that will help them improve their quality of life.

When Families Mentoring Families wanted to create the Liberian Literacy Center, LaReita knew that the doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation® could help. They reached out, and the Healing Hands Foundation provided matching funds for books and other materials to keep the literacy center running smoothly.

Among many goals, one of the main objectives of the Liberian Literacy Center is to help preserve Liberian culture through the written word. LaReita said, “By preserving the Liberian heritage, strengthening their literacy, and building leadership skills, this Liberian refugee community will be able to pull themselves out of the poverty cycle that began 20 years ago. It may take another 20 years, but great endings start with small beginnings.”