By Bill W. Cooper
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gbeme Horace-Kollie, has called for urgent support from partners, stakeholders, philanthropists, and private sector institutions to tackle the growing crisis of street children in Liberia.
Speaking at her Congo Town office over the weekend, Minister Kollie outlined a comprehensive plan to transform the life of a young girl from Kakata who was recently rescued by the Ministry following a viral video that highlighted her dire situation.
“There may be countless other children in similar situations across Liberia who have yet to find their voice. To successfully address this issue, we urgently need financial support. Our Ministry does not have the budgetary power to manage this growing crisis alone. We need our partners, stakeholders, and the entire nation to come together and help us give these children a future,” Minister Kollie stated.
Minister Kollie expressed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the child, who is now in the Ministry’s care, receives a permanent safe home, access to education, healthcare, and psychosocial counseling for healing from her past trauma.
The Minister also emphasized that this intervention is part of the Ministry’s broader flagship program, ‘Support A Child, Save The Future,’ which aims to remove children from street situations and provide long-term support for their welfare.
“We are not just rescuing this little girl from her immediate circumstances; we are committing to her long-term success and well-being. This plan will ensure that she has the opportunity to receive an education, rebuild her life, and grow into a productive and empowered citizen,” she said.
Minister Kollie also highlighted the urgent need for financial support to effectively respond to the increasing number of vulnerable children across Liberia.
She called on friends, partners, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, private businesses, and government agencies to contribute to the Ministry’s efforts, noting that the scope of the challenge far exceeds the Ministry’s current financial capacity.
Data from a 2022 assessment conducted by the Government of Liberia in collaboration with UNICEF revealed an alarming figure of 366,584 children living in street situations.
These children live permanently on the streets with their parents, are by themselves and out of school, or work on the streets daily, returning home at the end of the day without receiving adequate care.
The Minister emphasized that addressing the street children crisis requires significant resources and that closing the financial gap is essential to scaling the Ministry’s efforts.
She appealed to philanthropic organizations, banking institutions, and the business community to step in and provide much-needed financial aid to rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable children.
“At the moment, there’s a serious financial gap in our ability to address the growing number of children living in street situations. We are pleading with all those passionate about improving the lives of our children to lend their support.
There is a significant logistical gap that needs to be addressed. We urgently require additional resources and support to ensure the program’s success. Together, we can make a lasting impact,” she added.
As the Ministry continues to investigate the circumstances of the young girl’s case, it remains focused on transforming her life and providing her with the tools needed to succeed.
The Ministry inherited a draft roadmap on children living in street situations, which originated from a 2022 assessment conducted by the Government of Liberia and UNICEF.
Building on this, the Ministry developed a five-year strategic plan aimed at permanently removing 73,317 children (representing 20% of the total 366,584 children living in street situations across the country) and providing economic support to 18,330 mothers and caregivers.
With support from the Government of Liberia and development partners, MGCSP has initiated a precursor to the comprehensive five-year program by launching a year-long pilot project in Montserrado County.
This pilot phase aims to permanently remove at least 7,698 children (5% of 153,965) from street situations and empower 1,920 mothers and caregivers associated with these children.
