Economic Empowerment

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Source: Front Page Africa
Madina, Grand Cape Mount County- A six month pilot project intended to empower rural women who were greatly affected by the deadly Ebola virus disease has ended in Western Liberia.

The project styled "women in sustainable enterprise" was implemented by the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA - Liberia) with funding from the ACTIVA Group Foundation, a non for profit arm of ACTIVA International Insurance Company. Speaking at the first graduation ceremony of the YWCA/ACTIVA skills training program held at the Madina Town Hall in Grand Cape Mount County, the National General Secretary of YWCA Liberia said the first phase of the project has been completed with over 56 women and a male graduating successfully. Said Mrs. Roseline K. Toweh: "The objective of this project was to ensure that the beneficiaries who are you graduating today should get the skills required that will empower you to be self-reliant, self-dependent and not be a liability to society. Today, I can proudly say that we achieved all the goals Atty. Gbalazeh." According to Mrs. Toweh the women acquired several skills in pastry and will have the opportunity to make ends meet from the skills they have acquired. "Today, we are happy to report to all of you that the objective was for these women to be empowered and they have been empowered and we are very proud!"

Giving the keynote address on the topic "why sustainable enterpriser is important to women development, the Managing Director of the Activa Insurance Company Liberia limited Atty. Saye D. Gbalazeh noted that the project was embraced by women with innate potentials, who are resolved to support each other in developing and utilizing a range of skills to improve their living conditions. He said he has been inspired all through his life by men and women who have the passion for to help others achieve their chosen goals and improve their lives.

Said Mr. Gbalazeh: "I am pleased to have been chosen to be the keynote speaker at this occasion that provides hope, embraces courage and emboldens the aspirations of these women. It brings me tremendous joy to be a part of this ceremony marking the successful completion of training for over 57 EVD affected women." Mr. Gbalazeh noted that the Women in Sustainable Enterprise (WISE) is a fruit of hope, hard work and an outreach for independence. Continued Mr. Gbalazeh: "All these objectives can be summarized as a calculated effort of salvaging our mothers and sisters from the cruel jaws of poverty. The crowning glory of the WISE investment is the psychosocial relief it has provided and the transformation of women from a state of total dependency to a state of self-sufficiency." According to the ACTIVA boss, Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties were chosen for the WISE project as a result of statistics from the Liberia Agency for Statistics and Geo Information Services (LISGIS), which indicated that the Ebola virus disease left over eight hundred widows and orphans in the two counties. He said about US$ 20,000.00 was provided to the YWCA as seed capital for the training of women in two of the hardest Ebola hit counties (Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties.)

Meanwhile, participants of the project thanked the YWCA and ACTIVA for choosing their respective communities for implementation of the WISE project.

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