Sanoyea, Bong County – It was an exciting and colorful morning when 278 “illiterate” women in Sanoyea, Bong County, were certificated over the weekend for successfully completing 15 weeks of intensive trainings in entrepreneurship.
Report by A. Macauley Sombai, [email protected]
The women, who are mostly single parents and petit traders were recruited from six communities — Boyea 41 women; Kpotoloma and Bolorla 50 each, Tayerpolu 42, Sanoyea 38, and Junkai 57, in Sanoyea totaling 278 women, who successfully completed the entrepreneurship program.
The Business Entrepreneurship Program implemented by youth crime watch Liberia is under the auspices of the Peace Child International with support from the Norwegian government.
The program, which was the 10th graduation exercise and linking meeting of Youth Crime Watch under its “Be the Change Academy” program provided the opportunity for these women to advance themselves and improve their businesses.
Speaking at program marking the graduation exercise at the town hall in Sanoyea Town, the executive director of Youth Crime Watch, Zuo Taylor, said the slow pace in the growth of Liberian businesses is not just the lack of finance but the adequate business management skills.
Mr. Taylor said too often Liberian businesses struggle or collapse due to what he described as the lack of basic skills and knowledge on business management.
He emphasized that the “Be the Change Academy” program is part of Youth Crime Watch Liberia’s initiative to curtail some of the challenges in the business sector of Liberia.
The Executive Director of Youth Crime Watch added that the 15 weeks program focused on market research, and customer service amongst others.
“Too often people jump into businesses without market research and that can only lead to failure because who have to do a research to know which business is okay at a particular time and place” he added.
“Customer service is a mess in Liberia and there is no successful business without a good customer service; you have to know how to attract, approach and maintain your customers to keep the business growing” he asserted.
Taylor boasted that the program has many success stories while he used the occasion to commend the donors and partners for the level of support given over the years to empower illiterate businesswomen.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Kortu Singbeh of Bolorla, who is a single mother of two, said the program has helped her to become more productive and successful.
Madam Singbeh revealed that single parenting and the management of business have been serious challenges which she believes the new knowledge will help to resolve.
She also challenged Youth Crime Watch to extend the program to other communities in order for more women to be empowered and supported for a sustainable future.
Making the keynote address, the General Manager of Passion Hotel in Gbarnga, Bong County, Mrs. Dabah Varpilah, challenged women to take charge of their future.
Mrs. Varilah, who is the wife of former Youth and Sports Minister Tornorla Varpilah, asserted that no amount of advocacies can get women on pal with men if they do not take charge of the changes they hope to effect.
Though she welcomed the numerous of advocacies ongoing across the country, she believes that change will only come when Liberian women take ownership of the positive changes they desire.
The successful Liberian business entrepreneur further stated that women should never give up or lose hope because of the countless struggles and challenges but should rather keep pushing and keep being focused.
She called on the graduates to use the knowledge acquired to upgrade their businesses in order make a difference in their respective communities.
She also wants them to be trustworthy, sincere and build their self-esteem and focus more on building a better future for themselves and their children.