The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), Liberia Chapter, as a way of celebrating the ‘16 Days of Activism’, held a community and student engagement in the Township of West Point on Friday, December 8, 2023 in Monrovia.
FAWE gathered several community members, including students of the Nathaniel V. Massaquoi Junior High School in the Township of West Point, to raise awareness on women empowerment, gender mainstreaming, and the importance of technical and vocational education for women and girls in the Youth Rising Project.
FAWE’s National Chairperson, Meima Sirleaf-Karneh, disclosed that their Institution has reached out to the West Pointers to have their attention drawn to the daily rising cases of domestic violence and abuse against women and girls in these communities and school environments.
During the program, dubbed ‘Unite! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls through TVET Education,’ Karneh maintained that having women and girls acquiring Technical Vocational Education and Trade (TVET) would help them to develop the independence of more women, which would create a space to have them far from abuse.
She explained that FAWE Liberia, with support from its partners like the European Union, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Liberian Government, among others, has continuously promoted women and girls TVET trainings, directly under one of its key priority projects called the ‘Youth Rising Program.’
Karneh said participants of the program filled the hall of the school, thereby taking advantage by attending one of the Youth Rising project sites either in Paynesville, Gardnerville, or at the William VS Tubman High School in Sinkor, to develop their own capacity in the basic skill trainings.
At the Youth Rising Program, she pointed out that trades such as computer science, carpentry, cosmetology, baking, and catering, are offered during each program circle. Other courses are electricity, auto mechanic, plumbing, and many more.
Karneh went further that, considering the growing population of women and young people in West Point, FAWE did a case observation and thought to work with the N.V Massaquoi School to have the 16 Days of Activism celebrated in the youth rising project with these discussions and awareness on women development and TVET issues, among others.
Accordingly, she stated that the discussions and the success of the program with West Pointers have opened a way for FAWE to start working with the women groupings and peace club at the school to lead more advocacy, awareness, and programs for the young people and women across the community.
Karneh said the peace club was established years back by FAWE Liberia and will now begin active operations and further engagement with the people in order to safeguard the existence of women and girls for a peaceful co-existence.
Other speakers spoke on these topics during the event, including “preventing violence against women in the community through skills training” and “preventing violence against girls in school through the peace club,” and cautioned participants to choose getting engaged into meaningful activities that will empower them and make them useful on the job market, rather than getting themselves involved into harmful ways of abuses.
The participants during the program were mainly students who were appraised by FAWE Liberia for taking the direction of their school and community with such an awareness and the youth rising project. Many of the attendees expressed interest in the TVET program to get skills in the training offered by FAWE.
“We are glad as students to form part of this program that has been so rewarding through the panel discussion and knowledge-filled presentations. As students, we learned a lot and will love to take advantage of the youth rising program to cover or build ourselves over our limitations. Thanks `to FAWE Liberia,” the Peace Club leader asserted.
