Africa-Press – Liberia. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), with funding support from the World Bank, has officially commenced the Midterm Review (MTR) of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP). As part of this process, a review visit was conducted on Tuesday in Frank Town, Careysburg District, Rural Montserrado County.
The visit brought together representatives from the Ministry of Gender, the World Bank, implementing partners and community beneficiaries, including members of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), Individual Enterprises (IEs) and Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs).
Participating beneficiary groups included the Degigia Village Savings and Loan Association, Kesseh Town United Club Association, Wellekamah Village Savings, Wortornor (One Voice) Village Savings and Loan Association, Kwaketornor Village Savings and Loan Association, Mamie Jessie Agricultural Business, and Fahn Gortor Town Wollukamah Savings and Loan Association.
Upon arrival, the delegation was warmly welcomed by the Town Chief and his council, who presented traditional kola nuts a Liberian symbol of respect and honor to the visiting guests.
MGCSP Reaffirms Commitment to Women’s Empowerment
Speaking to the media during the visit, Madam Blossom Hodges, Project Coordinator of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project, expressed gratitude for the progress made since the project’s inception.
“We are grateful for how far we’ve come with this project. Today, we see women expressing their joy and satisfaction with the progress being made,” she said.
Madam Hodges highlighted that the LWEP is a US$44.6 million project funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Gender. The project comprises several key components:
Fostering positive social norms to combat gender-based violence (GBV).
Promoting girls’ education and access to health services. Supporting women’s livelihoods through entrepreneurship and business management training, as well as grants for income-generating activities.
She noted that while the project aims to cover six counties, it is currently being piloted in Rural Montserrado and Gbarpolu Counties, with lessons learned from these areas guiding future expansion.
“We are targeting 498 communities across six counties, reaching about 267,200 people, including 36,000 direct grant beneficiaries,” Madam Hodges explained. “So far, approximately 1,227 persons have benefited from the initiative.”
She emphasized that the project’s midterm review provides an opportunity to evaluate progress, identify lessons learned, and improve strategies moving forward.
Implementing Partners Share Progress
Lead Service Provider Manager for Plan International Liberia, Abdullah Sheriff,
also shared updates on implementation.
He noted that the project is being executed in a phased approach. During the pilot phase, implementation began in 167 communities 99 in Rural Montserrado and 68 in Gbarpolu.
“The project is implemented by the Ministry of Gender with funding from the World Bank, while Plan International serves as the lead service provider,” Mr. Sheriff said. “We work in consortium with several partners, including CRS, ActionAid, Medical Liberia, Defense for Children International (DCI), Faith Care International (FCI), and Keep Liberia, alongside two international technical partners Raising Voices (Uganda) and Viamo.”
He added that the project has disbursed US$300,000 in grants to 191 beneficiaries and aims to reach 36,000 grantees by the end of the project in June 2027.
Mr. Sheriff emphasized the importance of
collaboration, particularly with media institutions, in monitoring and highlighting the project’s impact on local communities.
“If we want to address poverty, we cannot work in silos. Everyone including the media has a role to play in ensuring sustainable development,” he said.
Beneficiaries Testify to Project’s Impact
One of the beneficiaries, Madam Mamie Jessie, owner of Mamie Jessie Agricultural Business, shared her success story:
“I started my business with just two pigs, and today I have nine. Through the Ministry of Gender and the Liberia Women Empowerment Project, I received financial support that helped me expand. I attended training on financial management and learned to save and reinvest. I’m now building a proper pig house and a section for goats and chickens,” she said.
Madam Jessie expressed heartfelt gratitude to the World Bank and the Ministry of Gender for supporting women entrepreneurs and helping to lift families out of poverty.
The Liberia Women Empowerment Project aligns with the Government of Liberia’s broader vision for inclusive development, ensuring that women’s voices are heard, their livelihoods strengthened, and gender equality advanced across the nation.
He noted that the project is being executed in a phased approach. During the pilot phase, implementation began in 167 communities 99 in Rural Montserrado and 68 in Gbarpolu.
“The project is implemented by the Ministry of Gender with funding from the World Bank, while Plan International serves as the lead service provider,” Mr. Sheriff said. “We work in consortium with several partners, including CRS, ActionAid, Medical Liberia, Defense for Children International (DCI), Faith Care International (FCI), and Keep Liberia, alongside two international technical partners Raising Voices (Uganda) and Viamo.”
He added that the project has disbursed US$300,000 in grants to 191 beneficiaries and aims to reach 36,000 grantees by the end of the project in June 2027.
Mr. Sheriff emphasized the importance of collaboration, particularly with media institutions, in monitoring and highlighting the project’s impact on local communities.
“If we want to address poverty, we cannot work in silos. Everyone including the media has a role to play in ensuring sustainable development,” he said.
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