MONROVIA – A local non-governmental organization, Sustainable Urban and Rural Integrated Development Organization (SURIDO) has been honored and certificated for the tremendous works and successfully implementing its “Youth Opportunities Project” (YOP) in three Districts including Tehr, Dewion and Suhen Mecca in Bomi County.
According to the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment representatives, SURIDO has proven to its partners and beneficiaries as one of the credible, accountable and trustworthy institutions in the Country based on the level of committed and dedicated services being provided over nearly five years of implementation of the Youth Opportunities Project (YOP) in Bomi County.
“SURIDO has worked very well with us and they have done a very good job, which has made the management of LACE to honor the organization by giving them two different certificates, completion of the project and certificate of honor for the excellent work implemented in the County”, Mr. Jesse Bengu asserted”.
Speaking at a well-attended exit consultation meeting with major Stakeholders including the Superintendent of Bomi County Hon. Adama Robertson, Hon. Amos Cooper-Development Superintendent, Hon. Edwin B.G. Kpingba – Tehr District Commissioner, Hon. Ballah W. Bue, Dewien-District Commissioner, Hon. MomoDukuly-Suehn-Mecca District Commissioner and the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) represented at the forum by Madam Anita S.K. Marshall, the Community Livelihood and Agriculture Support Officer, Jesse Bengu, National Coordinator for the Youth Opportunities Project and James Z. Korh while SURIDO was represented in the meeting by Mr.Paul C. Jablai – Executive Director, Sipply M. Dugbeh – program Manager, Samuel Dajue – Project manager and Francis Boimah – Community Agriculture Technicians (CAT) of the Youth opportunities project in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.
The “Youth Opportunity Project” (YOP), the 5-year project which comprises three major components which fully met the targeted objectives was intended to improve access to income generation opportunities for targeted youth in the three (3) Districts in Bomi County. The three components included,pre-employment Social Support and Small Business Support for Urban Youth; Community Livelihood and Agriculture Support, and the Project Implementation and Coordination.
The Community Facilitators, SURIDO effectively implemented activities under Component Two: The Community Livelihood and Agriculture Support Component of the YOP in twenty-five (25) rural communities working in the Rice and Cassava value chain in the County that is believed to be one of the poorest counties in the Country. The project implementation started in Bomi County from December 17, 2017 to June 30, 2021.
Making remarks at the ceremony in Tubmanburg, the Superintendent of Bomi County Hon. Adama Robertson appealed to LACE to continue the project aimed at empowering the young people by providing income generation skills in all five districts in the County.
‘’We the citizens of Bomi County are kindly asking LACE to seek additional funding from the World Bank and other donors to support SURIDO to continue this project and even increase the numbers of districts from three to five because the national government might not have the capacity to cater to all of the young people especially in the remaining 2 districts”, the Bomi County Superintendent, Hon. Adama Robertson explained to the gathering
The Bomi County Superintendent appreciated SURIDO for the tremendous works and expressed the hope that SURIDO will return to the County after LACE seek additional funding.
Receiving the praises and commendations from the citizens and representatives of the Liberian government, the Executive Director of Sustainable Urban and Rural Integrated Development Organization (SURIDO)Mr. Paul C. Jablai dedicated the honors and certificates to the Organization’s field workers including the project manager Mr. Samuel Dajue, Sipply M. Dugbeh – program Manager and Francis Boimah, Community Agriculture Technicians (CAT) of the Youth opportunities project in Bomi County who worked very hard with the resources to successfully implement the five years project.
Mr. Jablai also expressed gratitude for the numerous acclamations and success stories from the beneficiaries, noting that SURIDO will always be there for the local inhabitants especially in rural community, urging the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) to extend the projects to the remaining two districts to enable the entire county benefit from the empowerment initiatives.
The Sustainable Urban and Rural Integrated Development Organization (SURIDO) is a local Non-Governmental Organization (SURIDO) accredited and registered under the laws of Liberia since September 2013. SURIDO is presently focused on Bomi County under its YOP project for value change production. SURIDO focus with the project has been working with cassava, beans, corn and peanuts producers groups in three districts which include Tehr, Dewion and Suhen Mecca respectively. This is aim at improving productivity, strengthening access to inputs and services, and creating market linkages, with a particular focus on Cassava, beans, corn and peanuts.