The Liberia Women Empowerment Project Management Unit (PMU) has kicked-off its week-long National Consultation and Stakeholders Engagement across Gbarpolu County.
The ongoing National Consultation and stakeholders engagement is taking place in the three electoral districts of Gbarpolu County, which include Bopolu, Bokomu and Gbama Districts respectively and other parts adjacent.
The activity which is already completed in Montserrado County, kicked off on Monday, June 24 and will officially climax in the county on June 28, 2024 and later extend to the remaining four: Bomi, Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Rivercess Counties respectively.
The engagement seeks to create massive awareness for the implementation of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project in the targeted constituencies and further stands to reach a total of 267,200 beneficiaries from 750 communities.
While a total of 36,000 of the 267,200 women are expected to benefit from the livelihood and grants under the project.
It can be recalled that the Liberian government signed a five-year US$44.6 million loan agreement with the World Bank to address challenges faced by women and girls, making them economically stable.
The US$44.6 million loan between the government and the World Bank is being implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in six of the 15 counties in Liberia.
However, day one of the engagement in Gbarpolu County brought together hundreds of stakeholders, including women within Village Savings and Loans (VSLAs) groups, farmers, fishmongers, cooperatives, religious, and traditional leaders.
The stakeholders lauded the government of Liberia for the project that will benefit marginalized groups, particularly women and make them economically empowered, sustainable and independent to address key issues confronting their livelihoods.
Speaking at the Bopolu City Hall where the engagement took place, the National Project Coordinator of the LWEP, Cllr. Margaret Nigba thanked the stakeholders for the warm reception received by her team from Monrovia and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the lives of its citizens through this project and several initiatives.
She also urged them to take ownership of the project, reminding that the US$44.6 million is a loan given to the government by the World Bank and it is expected to be paid back.
The National Project Coordinator further clarified that beneficiaries of the project will not pay back the money to the government directly but intimated that the government will be glad if the beneficiaries show tangible impact the initiative has made in their livelihoods.
“Even though the application process to get this loan does not have a lot of bureaucracies like other institutions do but trust me, the selection process for would-be beneficiaries of this project will be tough, transparent and convincing to ensure that the actual people benefit,” Cllr. Nigba noted.
In remarks, the county local leadership, including the Civil Society Coordinator, Lydia V. Ballah, Musu M. Kamara, Gender Coordinator, George Sumo, Head of Gbarpolu Paramount Chiefs, Jestina V. Dukuly, Bopolu City Commissioner and the hundreds in attendance expressed excitement for the project coming to Gbarpolu County.
They also thanked the national government through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for seeking the welfare of the citizens in that part of the country.
The stakeholders pledged their fullest cooperation during the implementation of the project and further assured that this initiative undertaken by the national government will be treated with honesty, adding that they will also take ownership of the project.
