At the age of 15, most boys are too busy scratching the itches on their body that result from surging testosterone in their bodies as they go through their puberty. For those who come from families that can afford computers, tablets, and smartphones. Their favorite go-to online platforms will be places like Instagram, Facebook, and porn sites. They will be living ‘the life’; one full of vanity.
Jeremiah Sumah is also a 15-year-old boy, but not your typical teenager. He lives in Liberia and has made international headlines for what he does for his past time; and no, it is not what he does on social media. Rather his creation of houses of cardboard.
He goes around his neighborhood collecting cardboard (cartons) paper, and sticks. He then patches them up using glue to make model houses. Looking at some of his work, you can tell he would make a fine structural engineer. If only he would get the support that will nature his talent for structural integrity and design of buildings.
It will be sad to see Sumah, end up like the thousands of talented youths across Africa languishing in poverty despite having unique talents. All because they did not have access to the right schools and exposure needed to put that talent into good use.
This talent could go a long way towards the development of structural engineering and architecture no just in Sumah’s home town in Liberia, but across the African continent.
