MARSHALL, MARGIBI COUNTY – Former First Lady Clar Marie Weah has broken her silence amid growing criticisms, strongly rejecting claims that her charitable organization, the Clar Hope Foundation, has used government funds. During the first graduation ceremony of the City of Hope Academy on Friday, June 27, 2025, in Marshall, Margibi County, Mrs. Weah made it clear that every dollar used by the Foundation came from international sources.
“My heart is clean,” the former First Lady stated. “There is not a single cent from government money in what I’m doing here. Even the Finance Minister knows, Senator McGill knows, and my husband knows. Every resource we got here came from international support.”
The Clar Hope Foundation, established during her husband’s presidency, operates the City of Hope, a comprehensive facility providing shelter, education, and healthcare for underprivileged children. Mrs. Weah explained that the vision behind the institution was born from her own experiences of loss and hardship, having lost her father at a young age.
“I don’t have to be born in Liberia to love Liberia,” she said. “I knew what it meant to have no one to lean on. I closed my ears to the noise and chose to give people hope. This City of Hope is a dream that came from persistence.”
The graduation ceremony celebrated the academic milestone of the school’s first cohort of first grade students. Dressed in colorful uniforms, the children, many of whom are orphans, received certificates while showcasing dances and songs that moved the audience to applause and emotion.
Notable figures in attendance included former President George Weah, Senator Nathaniel McGill, Representative Musa Bility, former Maritime Commissioner Eugene Nagbe, and a representative from the Ministry of Gender. Several past officials and development partners were also present to witness the occasion.
Mrs. Weah expressed heartfelt gratitude to her husband for his unrelenting support. “Every trip he made, he brought something back to help me keep going,” she noted, describing how the former President played a quiet but significant role in sustaining the Foundation’s operations.
Senator Nathaniel F. McGill, speaking after the ceremony, issued a stern warning to those questioning the former First Lady’s motives and funding sources. “It would be a grave mistake for anyone to attack Madam Clar Weah without a valid reason, because such a reason does not exist,” he said. “If you think otherwise, bring the evidence. That’s your business.”
McGill, now Chairman of the CDC Legislative Caucus, revealed that during his time as Minister of State, Mrs. Weah made a clear decision not to accept any government assistance. “You said not a single cent of government money would be used for this project, and today we see the wisdom behind that,” he emphasized.
Another prominent opposition voice, Representative Musa Bility of Nimba County and political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), echoed McGill’s defense of the former First Lady. “Liberia is 178 years old. I am over 55, and I’ve never seen any First Lady make the kind of mark you have. This is unmatched in our nation’s history.”
Bility went on to announce a formal partnership between his movement and the Clar Hope Foundation. “On Monday, you will receive a brand-new pickup vehicle. It is ready, complete with tax documents. You can collect it from Africa Motors,” he said, further solidifying cross-party support for the initiative.
He also condemned what he described as Liberia’s culture of attacking good people. “Sadly, our country seems designed to tear down good people. Madam Former First Lady, close your ears to the noise. Keep doing what you are doing for the children. We are watching, and we are grateful.”
Despite the criticism from some quarters, Mrs. Weah made it clear that the work of the Clar Hope Foundation would continue without fear or apology. “We want to create hope for the children of Liberia,” she concluded. “That’s all we are here to do.”
