MONROVIA — The sanitation initiative of Shincheonji Church of Jesus (SCJ) Liberia is gaining recognition among traders at the Duport Road Market, where volunteers regularly clean the market and surrounding community as part of their monthly community-service activities.

By Ojuku S. Kangar, Jr., contributing writer

On Saturday, October 3, 2026, SCJ Liberia’s sanitation team returned to the Duport Road Market for its regular cleanup exercise. Wearing yellow T-shirts and equipped with sanitation materials, the volunteers swept sections of the market and removed accumulated waste.

The exercise coincided with Liberia’s monthly first-Saturday sanitation observance, during which businesses are expected to close from 10:00 a.m. to allow communities to undertake cleaning activities aimed at promoting public hygiene and environmental cleanliness.

Some traders and passers-by familiar with the SCJ team’s activities praised the volunteers for what they described as their consistent commitment to cleaning the market without charging traders for the service.

Abel K. Baysay, chairman of the Electricity Department at the Duport Road Market, said the team’s contribution extends beyond the market itself to the surrounding community.

“For the exercise, they have been doing well when it comes to ordinances and cleaning the market. Not only the market they clean, the community too. If I am grading them, I would give them 100/100 or excellence,” Baysay said.

According to Baysay, the volunteers have maintained a regular presence at the market, returning on the first Saturday of each month to sweep, collect and dispose of waste.

“They clean the market free. I thank SCJ Cleanup Campaign Team for coming to Liberia, because they clean the market, and cleanliness is next to godliness,” he said.

Another market participant, Helen Gardea, also praised the volunteers, saying their regular presence has helped improve the appearance and cleanliness of the market.

“The group’s action is good, and I even want to ask which organization is always cleaning the market,” Gardea said. “They do the work fine. When they come, they do not ask people for money and start cleaning up. They make the market clean and decent.”

The SCJ volunteer sanitation team describes its activities as part of its broader humanitarian and community-service efforts, which include sanitation campaigns, charity and other volunteer initiatives.

The monthly exercise at Duport Road Market is also intended to encourage traders, residents and other community members to take greater responsibility for maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

While the volunteers provide the labor and assist with waste removal, the initiative continues to rely on the participation of traders and residents to sustain improvements in sanitation beyond the monthly cleanup.

Paynesville – A monthly clean-up campaign exercise established by the Shincheonji Church of Jesus SCJ) to win souls and maintain hygienically environment, has provoked marketers’ volunteer service to action.

“Six marketers agreed to work with us, and some signed a Memorandum of Understanding,” Fruitfulness S. A. Joe, SCJ-Liberia’s publicity head, said in an interview at Duport Road headquarters.   “They signed to contribute to the clean-up exercise, wear the sanitation team T-shirt, and fully participate.”

The May 2026 “First Saturday Clean-up” campaign brought together 62 participants, including saints and students of SCJ and marketers, according to publicity Joe.

The “Clean Duport Road Market Campaign” was launched to reawaken the Church’s previous sanitation program, which operated sometimes and closed for administrative reasons.  Its previous sanitation campaign was on every last Saturday of each month from 2021 to 2024 and impacted the entire Duport Road Community and beyond.

However, SCJ has raised concerns about the lack of equipment and a garbage disposal site, calling on humanitarian groups, government agencies, and others for assistance.

“Right now, we don’t have equipment and a garbage disposal site,” Joe said. “We talk of cooperating with the Paynesville City Corporation so that it can help us with tricycles or trucks, rain coats, and boots.”

The Paynesville City Corporation is the largest municipality in Liberia with the highest population.

According to SCJ, it has manpower for the sanitation exercise, but it faces an equipment nightmare.

The Duport Road Market, situated at the intersection of roads that lead to Rehab Community, Red-light, Duport Road Intersection, and Waterside, is a hub of transactions.

SCJ’s clean-up exercise started from it head branch in South Korea by the Promise Pastor and is intended to impact the world where SCJ is.

“Our vision is to see Liberia be clean and fall to Jesus,” Joe informed.

Fewer of the marketers said SCJ, which is not the government’s agent, has volunteered to clean their market monthly, causing them to pledge their full support.

“As long as SCJ cleans our market every first Saturday, we will contribute our funds and services,” the marketers said.

SCJ-Liberia called on all Liberians to be sanitation-conscious and attend the church’s Bible School, which is Zion Christian Mission Center.

Shincheonji is a Korean word that means “New Heaven and New Earth,” and SCJ is the Korean Church in South Korea.

The June 2026 pending clean-up campaign, according to Joe, will have more participants.

Monrovia – World Hope International has re-launched a major clean water project in Montserrado and Margibi Counties, aiming to provide safe drinking water to more than 40,000 people.

The “Improved Access to Safe Drinking Water in Liberia Project,” stalled after USAID funding disruption, is now back on track through collaboration with the National WASH Commission. After months of negotiations and site assessments, World Hope International committed funding and technical expertise to complete the project.

The re-launch took place in Sarah Johnson, 15 Gate Community, Kingsville Township, Montserrado County.

The system comprises seven (7) elevated water towers, each equipped with six storage tanks; six borehole wells; and seventeen (17) water kiosks, each featuring six to eight faucets across various locations. Powered by solar submersible systems with panels at each tower, the water will be pumped through a transmission and distribution pipeline network to the elevated tanks. An inline chlorination system ensures proper treatment, delivering safe, clean water to Dolo Town, Sarah Johnson, Baypolu Town, and Yarnwuellie Town.

Speaking at the event, World Hope’s Regional WASH Program Director, Mr. Elijah Kihara Maina, said the focus is long-term access, not short-term fixes.

“We are building a system that communities can rely on daily. With solar-powered technology, this project will deliver safe, affordable, and sustainable water,” Maina said.

“A beacon of hope”

World Hope’s West Africa Regional Lead, Madam Grace Linda Ruba Kargbo, said the Project’s Re-Launch is a major step forward.

“This project is more than infrastructure, it is a beacon of hope for thousands of Liberians who will soon have access to safe drinking water,” Madam Kargbo said.

She added that the project will also improve health and reduce the burden on women and girls who spend hours fetching water.

Representing the WASH Commission, Abed F. Tobey said the re-launch shows the Project did not collapse despite the USAID funding freeze.

“This shows that when partners work together, essential services like safe water can continue even after donor transitions,” Tobey said. He called the solar-powered system a model for future rural water projects and said the National WASH Commission is fully committed to supporting the initiative.

Local women’s leader Godgift Mulbah welcomed the initiative and promised community support. “World Hope has given us hope through this water system. We will take ownership and protect it,” she said.

The communities and towns were represented by local leaders, who also welcomed World Hope’s coming on board and pledged their full support.

Collectively reading the Re-Launch Proclamation, Hon. Ojay Godfavor Morris, Jr., the Superintendent of Margibi, led the proclamation, saying, “Today, in unity and faith, we officially re-launch the Improved Access to Safe Drinking Water in Liberia Project across these communities, declaring it the final phase toward completion. He also prays for divine provision, stakeholder support, and lasting impact for generations”.

The project was revived following an agreement between World Hope and the WASH Commission after USAID’s exit, ensuring that ongoing water systems were not abandoned.

Bentol, Montserrado County — FACE Africa, a Liberia and U.S.-based nonprofit organization, has completed and dedicated 71 new household

By Yawah Y. Jaivey

latrines, one hand pump and one solar-powered water tower in rural Bentol City, Montserrado County.

The day of the ceremony was a vibrant and joyful celebration hosted in Belekpoi Town and included local leadership and WASH Committee Graduates from nearby Bassa Town, and Nyema Town.  

FACE Africa’s Operations Manager, John D. Toby, providing an overview of the projects  at the dedicatory ceremony recently, explained that the FACE Africa Bentol Phase Four WASH Program was implemented over a three-month period across the three communities.

Mr. Toby stated that the dedication ceremony was not just about commissioning WASH facilities, but it was an opportunity to celebrate partnership, empowerment, improved health  and restored dignity for all beneficiaries.

He reaffirmed FACE Africa’s commitment to improving sustainable access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services in underserved communities across several counties in Liberia.

“Through this Bentol Phase Four intervention, our team have worked closely with community members and town chiefs to ensure that the WASH solutions provided will be sustainable, community-owned, and impactful long term,” Mr. Toby said.

He explained that a total of 71 household latrines were constructed, with 24 in Belekpoi Town, 13 in Bassa Town, and 34 in Nyema Town, with each bathroom being equipped with an individual signature ‘Rain-WASH’ Rainwater harvesting system (a special system designed by FACE Africa) with pour flush, septic tanks and handwashing areas to promote proper hygiene practices and conserve precious water resources.

“These facilities are designed to restore dignity, improve safety for women and girls, and protect the overall health of families,” Mr. Toby noted.

Additionally, he said  FACE Africa constructed one new Afridev hand pump in Bassa Town, a solar-powered water tower in Belekpoi Town, and much needed bathrooms for all houses in Nyema Town (who had previously benefited from a hand pump constructed and dedicated in 2023 thanks to Georgie Badiel Foundation and Nyema Tubman).

Mr. Toby stressed that these safe water facilities will significantly reduce the burden of water collection and help prevent waterborne diseases.

He revealed that prior to the project implementation period, FACE Africa conducted baseline surveys in several communities in the region and identified these three communities as priorities due to their lack of basic water and sanitation facilities, and high diarrheal disease rates.

Mr. Toby divulged that FACE Africa’s experienced training team successfully trained three WASH Committees across the three benefiting communities and emphasized the prerequisite for all FACE Africa WASH Committees to consist of more than half women and girls to honor gender equality and encourage women’s leadership.

“To the people of Bassa Town, Belekpoi Town, and Nyema — these facilities belong to you. Your commitment, cooperation, and participation made this project successful. We encourage you to continue working together to maintain these facilities and protect the health and future of your communities,” he said.

He disclosed that communities were encouraged to collect monthly contributions to ensure maintenance and sustainability of the water facilities.

“We are excited to report that Bassa Town has collected L$9,000, Belekpoi Town L$12,350, and Nyema L$13,880, respectively,” Mr. Toby announced.

He promised that FACE Africa remains committed to walking alongside communities in their journey toward improved health, dignity, and sustainable development.  

Also, Mr. Toby then proudly introduced Jenneh Varfee – a local Kpakillah Town resident, WASH Committee Member for Kpakillah Town (Bentol Phase two projects), and FACE Africa Deputy Training Coordinator, to give details on the training held over the 3-month period.

The committees, she said, received specialized training in maintenance and repair, women’s health, hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, and financial management. In total, 65 community members were trained — 40 women (61.5%) and 25 men (38.5%).

“These committees are now equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain their facilities, promote healthy behaviors, and manage community resources responsibly,” Varfee said.

She also shared that 60 women were trained across the three communities in soapmaking for economic empowerment and financial autonomy.

“These hardworking women were trained in the production of essential household sanitation products such as bleach, tile soap, bar soap, and liquid soap by FACE Africa’s head trainer, Sylva N. Solo.

She emphasized that this new initiative not only supports hygiene promotion but also creates opportunities for income generation and economic independence for women.

During the ceremony it was also announced that since the FACE Africa WASH initiatives began in rural Bentol in 2023, FACE Africa has constructed and dedicated 327 latrines, 11 new hand pumps, rehabilitated four hand pumps, and constructed two solar-powered water systems in the area. This does not include the other regions the organization has been working in, including Grand Cape Mount most recently.

At the same time, the Duke and Associates, West Coast Energy, the National WASH Commission, the Ministry of Public Works, and all contractors were acknowledged for their valued contributions to the projects.

Meanwhile, delivering the keynote address under the theme “Moving Beyond This Point,” Madam Melma Dee Kidka-Blamo, Country Manager for FACE Africa International, described the day as a turning point for these communities.

“When water is clean, life is strong. And today, life is getting stronger in these communities” she declared.

She acknowledged FACE Africa’s leadership, including Founder and President Mrs. Saran Kaba Jones and Executive Director Ms. Pauline Veronica Egan, as well as Mayor of Bentol City, John Minor, other government officials, traditional leaders, development partners, community elders, women, youth, and residents.

Madam Blamo shared her powerful personal story of growing up in a community without access to safe drinking water or proper sanitation.

“We walked long distances to fetch unsafe water. We did not have proper toilets. When we children became sick, help was far away. At that time, sickness felt normal. But sickness should never be normal,” she emphasized.

She urged residents to move beyond the point where children miss school due to diarrhea, where mothers worry about unsafe water, and where preventable illnesses are accepted as part of life.

“These facilities give us a new chance — a chance to choose health, dignity, and a better future. But facilities alone are not enough. What truly matters is how we use and sustain them” she stated.

She encouraged residents to protect the water source, use toilets properly, wash hands with soap properly, and teach children proper hygiene.

“Where you start does not decide where you will end. Let today be remembered as the day these communities said, ‘We are moving beyond this point,” she said.

She urged the communities to move beyond preventable illnesses, open defecation, unsafe creek water consumption, neglecting maintenance contributions, and poor sanitation practices.

“Together, let us take ownership of these facilities and protect them. Let us move toward a healthier, stronger, and brighter future,” she urged.

For her part, Mrs. Saran Kaba Jones, Founder and President of FACE Africa, re-iterated FACE Africa’s commitment to addressing urgent WASH needs in underserved Liberian communities and encouraged residents to properly maintain the new facilities.

She emphasized the importance of each town taking ownership of their WASH project to protect the investment.

Mrs. Jones also thanked donors for their continued trust and praised the FACE Africa team for their immense dedication and hard work through the Bentol Phase four projects.

For her part, FACE Africa Executive Director, Pauline Veronica Egan, reiterated her deep appreciation for the hard work of the FACE Africa team and shared the story of some of the challenges that they and their partners at Duke & Associates faced during the drilling process.

She also gave special mention to the donors who made the water facilities, latrines, and training possible across the three communities including long-standing FACE Africa donor, Niraj Bhatia of the Niraj Bhatia Foundation, along with former Liberia Peace Corps Volunteer Dr Dan Frechtling, Abigail Disney and Pierre Hauser, Jim and Ellie Pickell, Moore Philanthropy, and all those who supported Ms. Egan’s personal fundraiser held in Vancouver, Canada.

Sponsors and donors she highlighted included AFBS, Leith Wheeler Investment Council, Truffles Fine Foods, Sunbelt Rentals, Legend Water, World Centric, Steel & Oak Brewing along with all the volunteers and performers who made the fundraiser a success.

Also, FACE Africa’s Program and Communications Officer, Bel Delia, during her first ever visit to Liberia expressed her immense appreciation for the FACE Africa field team and the hard work of the community members during the training process.

Also speaking was John Minor, Mayor of Bentol City, and the local Youth Chair, Abel Yekewolo who thanked FACE Africa for supporting efforts to eliminate open defecation and reduce waterborne illnesses.

Mayor Minor appealed to the organization to consider expanding its WASH interventions to other communities in rural Montserrado, citing the continued overwhelming need for such life-changing projects.

Meanwhile, Stephen Howard, the Town Chief and Esther Flomo, the Chairlady of Bassa town spoke, along with Fanta Shawl, the Chairlady of Belekpoi Town, and Pastor Bill Passawee, head of the Maintenance Group of Nyema.

All speakers along with the graduating WASH Committee members expressed their wholehearted thanks and excitement for the project, and thanked FACE Africa for helping their communities overcome open defecation, reduce waterborne diseases, and live more dignified lives.

The WASH Committee members promised to use the knowledge gained from FACE Africa to maintain and sustain their facilities for a very long time.

Summary

• The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia has shut down several sachet and mineral water production facilities in Monrovia for operating without valid certification, required water quality analysis, or sanitary production conditions.

• The closures affected several companies, including C3M Sachet Water Company and Dove Mineral Water Company, which officials said failed to complete regulatory requirements within the legally required timeframe despite prior communication.

• Public health professionals say the enforcement is critical to reducing waterborne diseases and have urged authorities to make water testing results publicly available to improve consumer awareness and accountability

By Aria Deemie, contributing writer

The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia has shut down several sachet and mineral water production facilities in Monrovia as part of a nationwide enforcement exercise targeting operators that failed to comply with environmental and public health regulations.

The enforcement, which began on January 20, focuses on facilities operating without valid permits, lacking required water quality analysis, or producing water in unsanitary environments that could pose health risks to consumers.

“We are not shutting down these facilities to frustrate business owners,” said Stephens Gibson, who heads the enforcement team, while speaking to a water company operator during a field visit on January 22. “Our responsibility is to protect public health. If the source of the water and the production environment are unsafe, then the water itself cannot be considered safe for consumption.’’

The action is backed by Section 35.1(a)(i) of the Environmental Protection and Management Law, which mandates the agency to establish and enforce water quality standards for drinking water and to regulate raw water sources before production begins, ensuring that water production does not endanger public health.

During field inspections observed by this reporter, Environmental Protection Agency officials said they shut down C3M Sachet Water Company near the Police Academy Turning Point after determining that the operator had failed to complete the certification process despite earlier notifications.

According to officials, the agency responded to C3M on November 18, 2025, and the operator collected the compliance letter on December 8, 2025, but failed to present proof of payment, official receipts, or water analysis results during the inspection.

“This place does not resemble a water factory,” Gibson told the operator during the shutdown. “It needs a complete facelift. When you want to set up a factory, the rightful authorities are supposed to advise you before production begins.”

The operator of C3M Sachet Water Company, Momoh Juana, who said he has been in operation for about a year, maintained that he had made efforts to comply with the regulatory process.

“I paid the fees. I’m only following up on the water testing results,” Juana said. “I didn’t know I had to go back to the Environmental Protection Agency office for an official receipt.”

Officials, however, said the requirement was clearly stated in the compliance letter and ordered the facility shut down until all conditions were met.

After C3M, the enforcement team moved to Dove Mineral Water Company, located at Duport Road Junction, where officials said the company also failed to meet compliance requirements. Inspectors said Dove applied for certification in September 2025, received a response on September 11, and made payment on November 18, but failed to submit mandatory water quality analysis results within the legally required timeframe.

Officials told the company that its water was already being sold on the market without full regulatory clearance, prompting an immediate shutdown.

In an interview with this reporter, Wellington Jusu, owner of Dove Mineral Water Company, said the company has been operating for three years and insisted it has always met the required standards. He attributed the delay in completing the certification process to pending laboratory test results.

“It’s not that we don’t want to comply,” Jusu said. “The process just went a bit slow along the way. This exercise is good and highly recommended. We will provide all the information required by the agency.”

“Water testing applies when a new well or water source is to be used for drinking,” said Emmanuel Yarkpawolo, executive director of the Environmental Protection Agency, in a separate interview with this reporter. “We test that source to ensure the water is safe, and we also assess the surrounding environment, not just the water itself.”

Yarkpawolo said testing is conducted annually because conditions can change over time.

“A source that was safe one year may become unsafe the next due to new construction or environmental factors,” he said.

He added that if the production environment is filthy or unhygienic, the agency can enforce corrective actions immediately.

Public health experts say the enforcement is critical to reducing waterborne diseases in Liberia. Anthony Blessings Saah Bonkie, a Liberian public health professional, said contaminated drinking water remains a major public health concern.

“Improperly tested water can expose people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, and harmful chemicals,” Bonkie said. “This can lead to diarrhea, typhoid fever, dysentery, and hepatitis A and E.”

Bonkie also called on the government to publicly share water testing results to improve consumer awareness and accountability.

“When testing results are made public, consumers can make informed choices and protect themselves,” he said.

According to the World Health Organization, unsafe drinking water contributes to more than half a million diarrheal deaths globally each year, with waterborne diseases remaining a leading cause of preventable illness worldwide. The organization recommends routine testing of both raw water sources and finished drinking water products, noting that even treated water can become unsafe due to environmental contamination, poor handling, or unsanitary production environments.

In Liberia, waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid fever, and hepatitis A and E are classified as priority diseases under the National Public Health Institute of Liberia’s Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system. Public health officials have repeatedly warned that contaminated drinking water, particularly unregulated sachet water, poses a significant risk to urban populations.

The current enforcement follows similar actions in previous years, including the August 2024 shutdown of Grandma Mineral Water Factory in Paynesville after laboratory tests confirmed the water was unsafe for consumption.

Officials said the enforcement exercise will continue nationwide and urged water producers to regularize their operations, while advising consumers to look for valid certification before purchasing sachet or mineral water.

A local Non-Governmental Organization, Friends of Liberia Food and Water Incorporated, has provided safe drinking water to thousands of citizens in rural communities in Liberia across the 15 counties.

The Administrator of the NGO, Lee Mayson, disclosed that from July 2021 to October 2025, the organization has reached a milestone of building 300 hand pumps across Liberia.

Mr. Mayson attributed their success to the financial support from partners, particularly, Mr. and Mrs. Good Water and J. Dafin as well as Jingle-Jims.

He further explained that Mr. Good Water has never been to Liberia, but he and his wife developed interest in supporting the NGO – Friends of Liberia Food and Water Incorporated to provide food and safe drinking water to the underprivileged.

The NGO administrator noted that, whenever they move to a town or village for installing wells, they will contact Mr. Good Water for support.

According to him, Mr. Good Water has always assured them of raising the needed resources for the implementation of these projects to upgrade the living conditions of rural dwellers in Liberia.

Lee Mayson, who is the organization’s administrator, underscored that they are not only in the business of providing food and safe drinking water to vulnerable community dwellers, but they are also engaged into agricultural activities, mainly rice production.

He emphasized that, the organization already has a modern factory for rice processing in Gbatala, Bong County.

Meanwhile, Rev. Adams, the vice President of Friends of Liberia Food and Water Inc., also commended Mr. and Mrs. J. Dafin of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, for building more than eighty-five (85) hand pumps in 2025 – pledging to do more in 2026. He also praised Mr. Good Water for the entire continuous support to the people of Liberia and thanked the Liberian community for its cooperation and coordination for maintaining the hand pumps provided to them by his organization.

At the same time, Mr. J. Dafin of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, believes everyone in the world should have access to safe and clean drinking water.  He said God has provided for him and his family so they can help provide for others as well. Mr  Dafin further assured that they have planned to continue the same funding level to each quarter in 2026 for the Liberia.

Mr. and Mrs. Dafin who have the heart to support the initiative of Friends of Liberia Food and Water Incorporated considering that the struggles that most Liberians are undergoing in rural communities for safe drinking water.

For his part, the President and highest donor to Friends of Liberia Food and Water Incorporated, Mr. Good Water, put the cost of drilling cost of wells so far at thirty-five thousand United States Dollars (35,000USD) and up to sixty-five thousand United States Dollars (65,000USD) for equipment. He further promised to keep the commitment in 2026.

He used the occasion to recognize the Government of Liberia for reducing the cost of the country’s staple food, rice thereby securing food security for all in Liberia.

The beneficiaries, through their representative, alluded that since Friends of Liberia Food and Water Incorporated entered Liberia, Bong County was one of the black zones for selection into their data base, where the NGO is currently operating three hundred (300) acres of farm land.

Representatives of the beneficiaries lauded the President of the organization, Mr. and Mrs. GoodWater and Mr. and Mrs. Dafin whom God is using to provide the needed support for the citizens of Liberia through water provision and rice production.

The Representatives noted that not only Nyenequelleh District in Bong County, but the entire country is blessed by such humanitarian support.

The citizens of the District recalled that for the past two years, there have been no complaints of water borne disease like diarrhea, because of the availability of safe drinking water from Friends of Liberia Food and Water Incorporated.

The citizens are however, recommending to the organization to extend its services to other communities, by providing safe drinking water in Yennequelleh District, mainly Tomuyah Clan where they complained that some of their leaders have not been able to reach.

Monrovia — The National Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Commission has officially launched its five-year Strategic Development Plan (2026–2030)  aimed at improving access to safe, affordable, and sustainable WASH services nationwide.

By J.H. Webster Clayeh, websterclayeh@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Commission was established through an Act of the Legislature in 2012, began partial operations in 2017, and became fully functional in 2018.

The newly launched plan aligns with the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6  and Liberia’s Vision 2030 framework.

It outlines major goals such as Strengthening sector coordination and technical capacity, Expanding public and private partnerships, Establishing a national WASH data and monitoring system, Constructing a national water quality laboratory, and Advancing the national Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign.

Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings, who serves as Chairman of the WASH Commission Board, was absent from the launch ceremony. Representing him, Assistant Minister for Community Services, Albert Toukolon, described the plan as a milestone toward improving public health and national development.

“Today marks a defining moment in Liberia’s journey toward universal access to safe, affordable, and climate-resilient WASH services,” Assistant Minister Toukolon said. “This Strategic Plan is not simply a guiding document — it is a national commitment rooted in evidence, policy alignment, and the collective aspirations of our people.”

He added that the plan supports Liberia’s national priorities under AAID, emphasizing that WASH is indispensable to health, education, productivity, and environmental sustainability.

Quoting Minister Giddings, Assistant Minister Toukolon stressed that water and sanitation should not be viewed as optional development areas.

“Water and sanitation are essential pillars of human dignity and national development. This plan responds to the urgent need for a coordinated, accountable, and data-driven WASH sector,” he quoted.

Also speaking, George Yarngo, Chief Executive Officer of the National WASH Commission, described the document as a national roadmap designed to build resilience, improve service delivery, and strengthen regulation across the sector.

“This document is more than just a plan — it is a national commitment,” Mr. Yarngo emphasized, reaffirming the Commission’s mandate guided by values of accountability, innovation, collaboration, integrity, equality, and quality service delivery.

He disclosed that the implementation will occur in three phases: Consolidation (2026–2027), Expansion (2028–2029), and Sustainability by 2030.

Delivering remarks on behalf of UNICEF Country Representative  Andry Brooks, UNICEF Deputy Representative Amadou Alassane Cissé hailed the launch as a landmark achievement.

“This Strategic Plan reflects strong national leadership and commitment to ensuring safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for all. UNICEF remains fully committed to strengthening collaboration with government, civil society, partners, and communities,” he said.

Providing an overview of the plan, Executive Director Morris G. Gono, Jr. highlighted significant national challenges, including limited access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

“With 34% of Liberians practicing open defecation and 21% lacking access to basic drinking water, the Plan introduces innovation and climate-smart solutions across five major focus areas: institutional capacity, coordination, financing, data systems, and resilient service delivery,” Mr. Gono explained.

The WASH Commission and its partners say implementation of the plan will strengthen Liberia’s sanitation infrastructure, promote health education, and pave the way toward national ODF certification and universal access to safe water and hygiene services by 2030.

By Joyclyn Wea with New Narratives

WEST POINT, Monrovia-When the sea turns rough, Elizabeth Gray and her family have nowhere to run. Water floods through their home in this low-lying informal settlement, forcing her three children to relieve themselves indoors while waves crash just meters from their door.

As this year’s rainy season gets underway, the family lives in terror. They’ve already lost one house to the sea. Four years ago, the ocean swallowed Gray’s four-room home along with everything inside. Now they live in constant fear that her current dwelling, where seawater regularly floods the floors during rough weather, will be next. Sea levels are rising slowly, but it’s the rainy season, and ocean surges that come with storms, that is taking houses now.

“Our children are not safe,” Gray, 29, says in a recent interview. “Now the sea is giving us a hard time, and we don’t have anywhere apart from this house.”

Gray’s story illustrates the human cost of a climate change adaptation project that has stalled because of failures of Liberia’s government. The Monrovia Metropolitan Climate Resilience Project was designed to protect 250,000 residents from exactly this kind of devastation. But annual progress reports from the Green Climate Fund – the global donor pool that was to fund two thirds of the costs of the project – show that failures of the administration of President George Weah delayed the project for years.

The Weah administration had allegedly diverted millions to fund the 2023 elections. People here received bags of rice from representatives of Weah’s political party. But the election campaign meant little to more than a dozen families here like Musa Bamba. As sea levels surged during storms in the rainy season that led up to the 2023 poll, his 12-room house – home to 6 members of his family – slipped into the sea.

Coastal Defense Project Hailed as a Triumph by Government

The project should have been a triumph of international cooperation. Launched in 2021 by then-Monrovia mayor, Jefferson Koijee, the project secured $17.2 million from the Green Climate Fund and another $1.6 million from the United Nations Development Program. The project’s design would see a so-called “revetment”, placing massive rocks along the shoreline to hold back the sea for at least 40 years.

It was Liberia’s biggest grant to date from the world’s largest climate adaptation fund. Started in the wake of the 2021 Paris Agreement, the Green Climate Fund took money from heavily polluting rich countries to help developing nations adapt to the rapidly changing climate. The government of President George Weah agreed to contribute $6.8 million—one quarter of the total cost. Just $2 million was to be paid in cash, with the rest coming “in kind” – mostly in the form of rocks that would be sourced from Mount Coffee and brought to West Point.

But over three years, the Weah administration contributed just $50,000 total in cash, according to the Green Climate Fund’s 2023 annual performance report, roughly 2.5 percent of the $2 million it had promised.

“Insufficient co-financing provided by the Government of Liberia” caused “significant” delays, the fund’s 2023 report stated. Annual reporting in 2022 blamed delays on the government’s slow pace in appointing project management staff, something that plagued another Green Climate Fund project in Liberia – the $10 million Climate Information Systems project that would have warned millions of farmers and flood victims of weather hazards ahead of time. 

In a phone interview Samuel Tweah, who served as Weah’s finance minister, acknowledged the government’s failure but blamed it on the COVID-19 pandemic. “Under the circumstances, it was just difficult. People were staying home, we had to pay government workers, and all those things,” Tweah said.

But the delays extended well beyond the pandemic and the lockdowns that ended in late 2021. As 2023 went on, the Green Climate Fund report said, the government became increasingly focused on “the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.” New Narratives/Front Page Africa reporting has found that in the run-up to the elections, funds were diverted from almost every government entity. The anti-human trafficking unit in the Ministry of Labor, for instance, saw 90 percent of the $230,000 allotted to it in the annual budget diverted, allegedly, to fund the elections. Tweah and two other top government officials were dismissed from their jobs after being placed on the US Treasury’s Sanctions List, accused of corruption.

Without Government Funding Project Activities Slowed to a Crawl

The funding structure was designed to be straightforward: government contributions would unlock larger international disbursements, a common mechanism to ensure recipient countries remain invested in project success. Without Liberia’s share, the project slowed to a crawl. No more Global Climate funds were sent.

The Green Climate Fund 2023 report revealed multiple attempts by international officials and EPA staff to engage Liberia’s Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. “Several discussions were held to ensure that GoL’s full cash co-financing commitment is captured in GoL’s annual national budgetary allocation,” the report said. These efforts proved unsuccessful.

In an interview Weah government Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) executive director Wilson Tarpeh said he regretted the failures. “Based on the work plan, we did not obtain what should have been done at the time I was there,” said Tarpeh. “Of course, it’s painful. It’s painful when you go to West Point. You see what the people are doing and you see a situation where you go in and out of the Ministry of Finance. I don’t want to say I am blaming the Ministry of Finance; that’s a government work so we take full responsibility for it.”

In West Point, Tarpeh’s expression of regret found little sympathy. After seeing 800 houses – home to 6500 people – washed away in the years leading up to the 2021 project launch, they thought a solution was coming. But as years passed, and houses kept disappearing, they lost hope.

The government “did not have the political will,” said William C. Wea, former West Point commissioner, shaking his head.

Beyond West Point: A Looming National Crisis

The stalled project is just one part of what will need to be a massive effort to protect or relocate an estimated 230,000 Liberians who will lose their homes to the sea by 2100, at current levels of global warming, according to United Nations Environment Program data. Projections suggest the coast could move 190 meters inland by the end of the decade.

Already, 0.8 square km of land has been lost in recent decades due to coastal erosion, impacting infrastructure and nearby population centers. In the Greater Monrovia area alone, a predicted 16 cm sea level rise by 2030 would put at risk 675,000 people and 9,500 hectares of land.

West Point has been particularly hard hit. It’s not just homes. Many of the large fishing community lost their livelihoods as boats and equipment washed away.

“For those who have broken canoes and lost their canoes, it’s almost like they have to sit with somebody in their canoes and join with somebody,” said Thomas Tweh, the township’s focal person for the project. “And if they don’t find someone to allow them to go fishing with them, they too will not go fishing for a season or a month, or a week.”

A New Government’s Inheritance

The election of President Joseph Boakai in late 2023 offered new hope for the stalled project. In an interview, Urey Yarkpawolo, the new EPA executive director, claimed that the current government has “met all the benchmarks to unlock the GCF funding” and secured additional government contributions – $500,000 was released on December 31, 2024, with another $500,000 approved in the 2025 budget.

UNDP Liberia representative Kuukpen confirmed the Boakai administration is now up to date with payments. The 2025 payment is due by October this year. Construction – starting with a road from Kru Beach to Lower West Point to bring the rocks – is expected to begin soon.

“I would say this year and next year, we will see some results,” Yarkpawolo said.

But when construction begins, there are still questions for the community here. One thousand residents will need to be moved to make way for the road.

The UNDP’s Kuukpen made clear that the government would be separately responsible for providing relocation assistance for displaced residents. People in the community say they have accepted the home demolitions are necessary. But they are waiting to see exactly which homes it will be and what the government will offer them.

In a WhatsApp response, project manager Zienu Kanneh acknowledged that there are no answers for community members yet. He said a “Resettlement Action Plan” and Livelihood Restoration Plan” are not completed. But he promised that “all of the questions will be answered once those plans are developed.”

But, for residents like Gray, the renewed promises feel familiar. It’s now four years since Mayor Koijee promised relief was coming soon. “They brought a yellow machine here and all to come see the area, but at the end of the day, we didn’t see anything,” she said.

As the rainy season gets underway, Gray faces daily reminders of her vulnerability. She spends $LD120 daily, (US60cents) for her family to bathe at paid facilities. West Point lacks any sanitation infrastructure.

“It is worrisome to us. Depending on the degree of the rain, you cannot walk here, the place gets flooded, and feces come back into the town,”  Leona Monger, a resident of the township, said. “As a government, be truthful to your citizens; do not scatter their expectations.”

“I am only begging the government to help,” Gray said. “We are begging them, we’re appealing to them to help because right now we are already in the rain.”

This story is part one of a two-part series. Part two will explore the next steps for the Coastal Defense Project now that funding has been restored. This series was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia project. The Swedish Embassy in Liberia provided funding. The funder had no say in the story’s content.

Monrovia— The National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Commission, in collaboration with sector partners, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 commemorated World Toilet Day 2025 at the Paynesville Town Hall, with renewed calls for stronger sanitation systems and collective action to eliminate open defecation in Liberia.

This year’s global theme:, “Sanitation in a Changing World,” was locally adopted under the national message: “We Will Always Need the Toilet.”

The event brought together representatives from government institutions, development partners, and school students—demonstrating sustained national commitment toward addressing sanitation challenges and improving hygiene practices across the country.

Urgent Need for Improved Sanitation

Providing an overview of the observance, the Chief Executive Officer of the National WASH Commission, George Yarngo, underscored the urgent need for increased investment and action to improve sanitation nationwide.

He emphasized that sanitation goes beyond infrastructure, describing it as “a matter of dignity, equality, and human well-being.”

He referenced the 2020 UNICEF–WHO sanitation report, which indicates that more than half of the global population lacks access to safely managed sanitation services. He further cited findings from the 2017 Joint Monitoring Program, revealing that 59.8% of Liberia’s rural population and 17.9% of urban dwellers continue to engage in open defecation—practices that pose serious health and economic consequences.

Stakeholders Call for Action

The indoor program featured a panel discussion with key representatives from the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), WaterAid, and UNICEF.

UNICEF Country Representative Andrew Brooke highlighted sanitation as a basic human right with direct implications for privacy, dignity, and safety—particularly for women and children.

Mr. Brooke encouraged students attending the event to become sanitation advocates, reminding them that open defecation contributes to disease and environmental degradation.

“Children are affected the most because their bodies are vulnerable. You students are important to this discussion, and I am happy to see you participating,” Mr. Brooke stated.

Also speaking, Amos F. Gborie of NPHIL reaffirmed government commitment to advancing sanitation through strengthened policies and sustainable development planning. He stressed the importance of multi-sector collaboration to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for sanitation by 2030.

Speakers at the event jointly appealed to government bodies, development partners, and community leaders to support innovative and sustainable sanitation programs nationwide.

World Toilet Day was established in 2001 by the World Toilet Organization and formally recognized by the United Nations in 2013 to raise global awareness on sanitation challenges and advocate for improved health, dignity, and safety.

The National WASH Commission concluded the event by renewing its call for strengthened stakeholder engagement, increased resource support, and community participation to help achieve a cleaner, healthier, and more dignified Liberia for all citizens.

Monrovia – The Government of Liberia (GoL), together with the international non-profit WaterAid, has officially launched a seven-year initiative aimed at integrating Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services directly into Liberia’s struggling healthcare facilities to help improve health outcomes.

By Francis G. Boayue

The initiative will be implemented through the multi country- Liberia, Pakistan, and Zambia – Strengthening Holistic and Inclusive Systems for Health (SWISH) Project.

It will reach over 2 million people, including over 12,400 in Liberia, ensuring no one’s health is endangered by lack of clean water, decent toilets or good hygiene at health care facilities.

In Liberia, SWISH will be implemented under a partnership framework involving the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the Government of Canada, WaterAid, and Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI). Targeted healthcare facilities and communities in Careysburg and Todee Districts in rural Montserrado County will be directly reached. It will reduce preventable infections and improve inclusive maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services.

It is part of the Resilient Health Systems for All Programme by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) strengthening health systems in vulnerable regions around the world.

WaterAid Liberia Country Director, Chuchu Selma, described the initiative as a critical step toward ending Liberia’s WASH crisis.

“Our mission is clear: we want to end the WASH crisis for everyone, everywhere,” he said. “Liberia loses an estimated US$231 million annually—about 5% of its GDP—due to poor sanitation and hygiene. Investments like SWISH can reverse such economic losses.”

Mr. Selma also emphasized the human cost of inadequate WASH services. “No woman should die giving birth due to lack of clean water, and no girl should miss school because her school lacks safe toilets adding that every Liberian deserves a life of health and dignity powered by sustainable WASH services,” he added.

Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Catherine T. Cooper, delivered the keynote address, on Wednesday, terming the SWISH project “timely and life-saving.”

She warned that without access to clean water, health facilities remain vulnerable to infections.

“Access to safe water and sanitation in healthcare settings is not optional; it is essential for quality service delivery, especially in maternal care,” she said.

Dr. Jewel Tarpeh Kollie, Montserrado County Health Officer, officially launched the project, expressing gratitude for the focus on rural communities. “This project brings hope. It’s not just about building systems, but empowering communities to sustain them. Together, we can ‘SWISH’ to a healthier, stronger Liberia,” she said.

 CHI Executive Director Naomi Tulay-Solanke reaffirmed the importance of community engagement.

“When communities have knowledge, they have power. They can make informed decisions and hold systems accountable,” she said, stressing transparency and local ownership.

NPHIL’s Amos F. Gborie announced the deployment of a dedicated monitoring team to track the project’s impact on reducing maternal and child mortality rates.