Monrovia – It was a moment of celebration and enlightenment on Sunday, August 24, when members of Desert FC gathered at the Mamba Point beachside in Monrovia to raise awareness on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event, held as part of Liberia’s Flag Day celebration, highlighted that impactful, community-driven development is possible even with limited resources.
With a modest budget of just US$2,000, the initiative has engaged local communities over the past two months through awareness campaigns, training sessions, environmental preservation activities, and efforts to enhance Liberia’s coastline—an asset vital to both the nation’s attractiveness and economic growth.
“This program is not just a one-off event but part of a long-term vision to mobilize communities and show that money is not the biggest barrier to development,” Desert FC organizers emphasized.
The group plans to present its SDG awareness program to the Ministries of Education and Youth & Sports, featuring PowerPoint presentations on each SDG designed and delivered by Liberian youth. Organizers believe that empowering young people to explain the SDGs in their own words will foster deeper understanding and spark nationwide mobilization around the global goals.
During the Flag Day event, 18 members of Desert FC—predominantly youth—explained the meaning of each SDG and issued passionate calls to action, urging Liberians and the world to unite in ensuring their achievement.
One of the participants, Albertin Myers, called for a united front to confront poverty, hunger, and healthcare challenges.
Describing poverty as a “disease,” Myers identified three strategies to fight it: expanding access to quality education, skills, and training for self-sufficiency; creating sustainable job opportunities for families; and encouraging wealth mobilization through environmental campaigns to attract resources.
On hunger, she warned that food insecurity driven by conflict, climate change, and economic shocks continues to claim millions of lives. Myers urged Liberia to prioritize sustainable agriculture, resilient farming systems, and community financial stability.
Turning to healthcare, Myers expressed concerns about inadequate resources and professionalism in the sector, stressing that access to quality and affordable healthcare must remain a national priority. “Unqualified nurses are being employed, and doctors not yet certified for operations are performing surgeries,” she noted, calling on health authorities and government leaders to strengthen Liberia’s health system.
Myers envisioned a future where Liberia becomes known as one of Africa’s leaders in healthcare delivery, underscoring that achieving the SDGs requires urgent, collective action.
Another youth participant made a passionate appeal to promote education as a tool to improve literacy, one of the core goals of the SDGs.
Through this initiative, Desert FC and its partners aim to demonstrate that with determination, grassroots mobilization, and youth leadership, Liberia can accelerate progress toward the global goals while inspiring broader community engagement in national development.
“Having observed a critical lack of knowledge and understanding of the SDGs within Liberian society, we believe that concise presentations on each SDG, delivered by Liberian youth in their own words, will be an effective and unifying action to raise awareness and mobilize society around the Sustainable Development Goals,” the organizers said.
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