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Augustus Bailey
Now a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and residing in New Jersey, USA, Augustus was born in Medina, Bomi County, Liberia in the early 1950’s to the union of Mr. Mambue (Morris) Bailey and Kula ...view moreNow a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and residing in New Jersey, USA, Augustus was born in Medina, Bomi County, Liberia in the early 1950’s to the union of Mr. Mambue (Morris) Bailey and Kula Massaley. His maternal grandfather had a twin brother, both of whom lived, died and were buried together in center of the town. His mother’s village was, and still is, predominantly inhabited by individuals mostly blood related. Partly raised by his paternal grandmother prior to school age, in the settlement of Royesville in Bomi County, Augustus managed to speak the three major dialects, Kpelle, Gola, and Vai, of the county.Augustus Bailey began his formal primary education at a UNESCO school funded by the UN in Mecca, in then Bomi Territory, which is now part of Bomi County in Liberia. After graduating from primary school, relocated in the City of Monrovia, Liberia and enrolled at Demonstration Afternoon School located on Clay Street. Through an uncle who was the Superintendent of Lofa County, Augustus was able to secure a one-year scholarship to attend a Baptist Missionary supported school (Suehn Industrial Mission) located in present day Bomi County, previously Bomi territory. It was just a few miles from the village established by his maternal grandfather and his twin brother. At the end of the scholarship, his uncle was unable to renew my scholarship and as a result, young Augustus returned to Monrovia and enrolled at the then Government Junior and Senior High School. Later he transferred to the evening division called People’s College where he graduated high school in 1971.In March of 1972, Mr. Bailey obtained a clerical position at the ELWA Radio Station in Paynesville, Monrovia, Liberia where he served as a clerk and as a Liberian Language (Vai) Broadcaster. In 1974, Bailey obtained a better position in the Letter & Credit Department of the then Chase Manhattan Bank, where SN Brussels Airline is now located.Finally, in 1976, Augustus landed a secretarial position with the then Deputy Minister of Education, Christine Tolbert-Norman, who was also daughter of the late President, William R. Tolbert. With the assistance of a cousin who resided in the United States before me, he had the opportunity to secure an I-20 to travel to the United States on December 7, 1979. Augustus enrolled at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey and obtained an Associate of Science (AS) Degree in Secondary Education in 1981. While he worked by night as a security guard, he enrolled at Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He graduated in Spring of 1984/85 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. Augustus continued to work in security at Ramapo State College in Northern New Jersey. In 1989, obtained a counseling aide position with the New Jersey Department of Labor in Elizabeth, New Jersey. With a Master’s Degree being a requirement to become a fulltime counselor and the opportunity for future promotions, he enrolled in graduate school at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New Jersey where he earned his Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology in 1992.In 2008, nearly three years after President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became the first female President of Liberia, Augustus Bailey obtained a four-year contract under the Senior Executive Service (SES) Program that was administered by the Civil Service Agency of Liberia and supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). He was assigned at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Department of the Interior) to serve as Senior Human Resources consultant to provide technical assistance to the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Human Resources Division. Augustus resigned after two extensions and returned to his current counseling position at the New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, USA.view less