2022
The Beginning
JETROWEB Development was born from a shared conviction: that technology, when placed in the right
hands, can transform lives and institutions.The Foundation: Institutional Legitimacy and Early Access.
The earliest momentum behind the initiative came through the support of Mr. Zawolo, former Superintendent of the Monrovia
Consolidated School System (MCSS). Recognizing the potential of a structured technology program within Liberia's educational
ecosystem, he provided its first formal platform by allowing the initiative to operate under his office.
This decision was strategic and consequential.
By situating the program within the MCSS framework, Mr. Zawolo granted it:
Institutional legitimacy
Administrative cover
Access to educational infrastructure
Immediate credibility within the public sector
In an environment where new initiatives often struggle for recognition and trust, this endorsement accelerated acceptance.
It positioned the program not as an informal experiment, but as a serious educational and developmental effort. Even after
leaving office, Mr. Zawolo has remained a committed advocate—offering moral reinforcement, visibility, and encouragement
during pivotal stages of growth.
His early backing laid a structural foundation that would have been extremely difficult to build independently.
The Vision: Social Justice Computing
While local institutional support provided the foundation, the driving vision came from Jeff Elkner, a Computer Science
teacher at Arlington Career Center (ACC) in Virginia.
Jeff approached the initiative not merely as a coding project, but as an expression of what he calls Social Justice
Computing—the belief that computing education can be a tool for empowerment, economic mobility, and systemic improvement.
From inception, Jeff provided:
Financial support,
Technical guidance,
Curriculum design,
Strategic leadership and
Ongoing mentorship.
He did not operate as a distant advisor; he was actively involved in shaping the structure, training, and direction of the
program. As participation expanded and technical capacity increased, Jeff led the transition from a small educational
initiative into a formally registered technology cooperative in Liberia.
This evolution marked a critical shift:
From:
A supported educational program
To:
A legally recognized, operational technology cooperative.
Without Jeff's initiative, resources, and sustained commitment, JETROWEB Development would not exist in its present form.
From Initiative to Enterprise
JETROWEB Development represents the convergence of:
Local institutional trust (through Mr. Zawolo's early sponsorship)
International mentorship and technical leadership (through Jeffery Elkner's vision)
A commitment to building sustainable tech capacity in Liberia
What began as a supported learning platform evolved into a cooperative focused on web development, technical services,
and professional growth for young technologists.
The founding story of JETROWEB is therefore not just about launching a cooperative. It is about:
Legitimizing opportunity
Creating structured pathways into technology
Combining educational leadership with entrepreneurial execution
Building credibility first, then scaling responsibly.
The organization stands today as a testament to collaboration across geography, public institutions, and shared
values-anchored in the belief that computing can be both practical and transformative.
