Kakata, Margibi County – The Government of Liberia in partnership with support from the European Union, Government of Sweden, France AFD, UNIDO, IECD, UNFPA, BRAC Liberia, SOS Children’s Villages Liberia, and CENTAL commemorated International Youth Day with a spirited call for youth empowerment, skills training, and inclusive leadership. The celebration, held on August 12 at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, brought together young people from all 15 counties of Liberia under the theme: “Empowering Young Liberians through Innovation, Partnerships, and Community Action.”
By Francis G. Boayue
A key focus of the day was the importance of skills development for a thriving job market. Dr. Anna Brzozowska, the Team Lead for Political and Economic Governance Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Liberia, underscored the EU’s strong commitment to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
She stated that this investment is part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to reduce unemployment by ensuring trainees have access to finance and a supportive business environment.
“We are committed to investing in TVET because we want to give people jobs so we would like to see people taking care of themselves,” Brzozowska said.
Serving as keynote Speaker, Deputy Gender Minister Atty. Laura Golakeh urged the nation to address the systemic barriers that hinder youth potential, including high unemployment, limited access to education, and the rise of substance abuse.
“No young person should live each day asking God, ‘Why was I born in this part of the world?’” she declared, calling on citizens to reject political entitlement and invest in youth innovation.
Mr. Anthony A. Nimely, the Deputy Project Manager for the “Youth Rising” project at UNIDO. Representing UNIDO, the project highlighted’s goal of enhancing the professional and technical capabilities of young Liberians to prepare them for the job market.
He said the “Youth Rising” project is funded by the European Union and Government of Sweden which aim to strengthen the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.
“We’ve come to give skills to young people, ensuring that several of them can benefit and transition from the classroom to gaining TVET skills on a demand basis,” he added.
Catholic Relief Services’ Country Representative Glynnis Oudoakang encouraged young people to take the initiative to make a difference, regardless of their position or title.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Cllr. Jeror Cole Bangalu announced the deployment of 150 young people into the new National Service Program, a collaboration with the UNDP aimed at providing job opportunities.
A major highlight of the event was the Liberia Skills Competition, which showcased the talents of students from 13 different TVET schools in six trades. The first-place winners were: Carpentry: Harbel Multilateral High School, Welding & Fabrication: William V.S. Tubman High School, Automotive: Booker Washington Institute, Fashion Technology: Voinjama Multilateral High School, Agriculture: Booker Washington Institute, Electrical: Zwedru Multilateral High Schoo.
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