In the heart of rural Liberia, a young boy named Daniel watched other children walk past his home with books in their arms, headed somewhere he had never been: school. He had no shoes, no uniform, and no promise of tomorrow — but he had a hunger no obstacle could silence.
Daniel: The Boy Who Wanted School is a memoir of grit, grace, and grace-filled grit. It traces a journey from a hand-built classroom under a mango tree to honorable service in the United States Navy, and finally to the founding of CLCY (Change for Liberian Children and Youth) — a nonprofit that today funds scholarships, school supplies, and mentorship for hundreds of Liberian children.
Written with honesty and hope, this book invites readers into the kind of faith that doesn't shrink under hardship — and the kind of legacy that begins the moment one person decides to lift another.
What you'll find inside
A coming-of-age story rooted in West African culture and Christian faith
Hard-won lessons on perseverance, leadership, and service
A behind-the-scenes look at the founding of CLCY
Reflections every parent, pastor, teacher, and leader can use
A Word from Daniel's Childhood Friend & First Teacher
A Friendship That Changed a Life
Before Daniel Henderson ever sat in a classroom, there was a young boy named Joshua Boimah who believed in him.
When Daniel could not attend school because of poverty and circumstances beyond his control, Joshua returned home each day and patiently shared what he had learned in class. Under the shade of village trees, along dusty village paths, and through simple conversations between friends, Joshua became Daniel's first teacher. He taught him letters, words, lessons, and, most importantly, encouraged a dream that might otherwise have faded away.
What Joshua could not have known at the time was that those small acts of kindness would help shape the future of a boy whose greatest desire was simply to go to school. Decades later, that same boy would become a United States Navy veteran, humanitarian, author, and founder of Change for Liberian Children and Youth (CLCY).
Their friendship has endured through civil war, separation, continents, and the passage of time. Today, Joshua remains one of Daniel's closest friends and faithfully serves as a volunteer staff with CLCY in Liberia, helping to expand educational opportunities for the next generation.
Joshua's own life is a powerful testimony to the transformative impact of education. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree, he dedicated his life to teaching and community service. In a remarkable full-circle moment, Joshua began his teaching career in 2004 at Frank Town Public School—the very school where Daniel's dream of education first became a reality. After several years of service there, he continued his teaching ministry and currently serves as an educator at Mardea Kaemah Public School in Careysburg, Montserrado County, Liberia. Alongside his work as a teacher, he is also a respected agriculturalist committed to helping improve the lives of those in his community.
The story of Daniel: The Boy Who Wanted School is, in many ways, also a story of friendship. It reminds us that some of the most influential people in our lives are not famous leaders or wealthy benefactors, but ordinary individuals who choose to invest in others through kindness, encouragement, and selfless service.
Long before Daniel became the boy who finally went to school, Joshua helped him become the boy who never stopped dreaming about it.
Today, both men continue to share a common mission: using education to create opportunities and transform lives for future generations of Liberian children.
— Joshua Boimah, BSc Teacher, Agriculturalist, and Volunteer Staff Change for Liberian Children and Youth (CLCY), Liberia
