Africa-Press – Liberia. The event formally marked the closure of the two-year peacebuilding project implemented in Yeala and Konia Peace Hut Communities in Lofa County, as well as in Bong, Nimba, and Montserrado counties.
The Superintendent of Lofa County, Hon. J. Lavelah Massaquoi, has commended Plan International Liberia and its partners for their significant contributions to peacebuilding efforts in the county, particularly through the “Girls and Young Women Take Action for Peace” project funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF).
Superintendent Massaquoi made the remarks during a Security Council and County Peace Mechanism meeting held as part of a project quality assurance monitoring visit. The meeting, organized by Plan International Liberia, brought together key peacebuilding stakeholders, including Women Solidarity Incorporated (WOSI), a county-based implementing partner.
The event formally marked the closure of the two-year peacebuilding project implemented in Yeala and Konia Peace Hut Communities in Lofa County, as well as in Bong, Nimba, and Montserrado counties.
Presiding over the peace mechanism meeting, Superintendent Massaquoi acknowledged the successful implementation of the project and the effective management of the Konia and Yeala Peace Huts. He pledged to consider incorporating security and peacebuilding interventions into the county’s development budget.
“Security is critical to sustaining peace. We cannot always depend on NGOs. We must be prepared to help ourselves, even when NGOs are assisting us, because they won’t be here forever,” Superintendent Massaquoi emphasized.
Representatives of the Lofa County Security Council, in separate remarks, praised Plan International Liberia for reducing youth violence and fostering peace across the county. The heads of the Lofa County Marketing Association, the Civil Society Organizations Network, and the Association of Persons with Disabilities also applauded the project for reviving and supporting regular county peacebuilding coordination meetings.
They recommended an extension of the project to allow the council sufficient time to prepare for the eventual donor exit, stressing the importance of sustaining the structures built under the initiative.
The council also expressed gratitude to the UN Peacebuilding Fund and WOSI for their collaboration with Plan International Liberia in ensuring the successful implementation of the project.
Plan International, through WOSI, supported the Lofa County Peacebuilding Mechanism’s operations, enhancing collaboration between community peace structures and the council. This synergy enabled Peace Hut women and youth project representatives to actively participate in council meetings and contribute to peace dialogues at community, district, and county levels.
Speaking during the meeting, Sidiki Kamara, Sponsorship Project Officer at Plan International Liberia’s Lofa office, highlighted additional development efforts undertaken by the organization, including child sponsorship programs, school construction, and WASH facilities. He noted the organization’s strong partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in advancing development goals in Lofa County.
The “Girls and Young Women Take Action for Peace” project aimed to increase the active participation of young people—especially girls—in peacebuilding and leadership, while integrating them into existing local peacebuilding structures. Over its two-year implementation period, the project has made measurable impacts on girls, young women, men, and Peace Hut communities across the targeted counties.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
