Women leaders of today walk in the footsteps of those who, through their past achievements, have unlocked the doors of leadership and progressed before them. Day after day, they draw inspiration and motivation from the legacy of those women leaders who preceded them.

The EJS Center strives to inspire and motivate the next generation of African women leaders. Its mission is built around the legacy of its Founder, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, turning it into a source of inspiration for women from across the African continent.

In order to preserve this legacy and ensure that it endures for generations of women leaders to come, we embarked on an ambitious project to build the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center and Library. This project will provide access to two collections documenting Madam Sirleaf’s life, presidency, and legacy, as well as the physical and virtual archives detailing her unique journey and the history of African women’s leadership.

In addition to being a space for knowledge sharing, the library will provide a collaborative environment where African women leaders can come together to build networks of support and forge strategies to challenge systemic barriers to girls’ and women’s advancement. Attractive temporary and permanent exhibitions will also offer a one-of-a-kind space for inspiration and learning.

Following the launch of unique design and curation works to create an inviting and engaging experience, the EJS Center shifted its attention to the development of content for a permanent exhibition focusing on Madam Sirleaf’s life and legacy.

A partnership was recently established with two content development firms – Library Special Projects and Ralph Appelbaum Associates – to enrich the exhibition with creative content and appeal.

The firms’ content development team made a recent visit to Liberia to conduct strategic workshops with key stakeholders, including Madam Sirleaf and the EJS Center, rural communities, experts, and women and youth groups.

Workshop participants were invited to share their thoughts on the future Presidential Center and Library and its importance to their communities. The workshops brought together EJS Center team members; content experts; and students from the Covenant Nurturing Center, LEAD academy, Blue Crest University, and African Methodist Episcopal University

The content development team also met with Madam Sirleaf and former members of her administration to discuss the impact of her legacy on women’s and girls’ advancement in Liberia. The team also engaged with communities in Kormah, Julijuah, and Zodee to discuss the role that the exhibitions can play in inspiring women and girls across Liberia.

Learn more about the Presidential Center and library here.