Monrovia – The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Youth League headed by Jefferson Koijee over the weekend donated assorted materials to shoe cobblers (shoe shine boys) in central Monrovia and the Old Road Community.
Donating the items, Koijee said the materials were intended to enhance the smooth business operation of the shoe shine boys – something he said will ease the difficulties experienced by them in their business sojourn.
“We have decided as young people of the CDC Youth League with our distinguish partner, in our little way of appreciating our young people in the streets.
Most of them who are engaged in what we call petty business, especially the shoe shine boys.
We will deal with three categories, but we are beginning with the shoe shine boys toady. From the shoe shine boys, we will engage the car loaders, from the car loaders we will engage the motorcyclists.
We think they are people who deserve to be dignified. We feel very hurt when people term them as worthless people and zogos; we are insulted by their identification, so we think they are Liberians and they deserve better, we think people created those conditions that they are going through. On this note, we decided to distribute these materials to enhance and compliment their activities,” he said.
Jefferson Koijee added that the Youth league of the CDC will continue the initiative every weekend to recognize the significance of petty traders in Monrovia and its environs, something he said will boost their effort to continue the business.
“On every weekend we will come here and deal with those various sectors; we are beginning to tell the world that the government of the shoe shine boys is on the way, the government of the car loaders is on the way, the government of the motorcyclists is on the way and the only person that represent that government is Ambassador George Weah, a man who has a heart caring sense of belonging for his people,” Koijee added.
According to Mr. Koijee, Liberia is country Liberians have and as such there is the need to care for one another, something he said will foster the growth and development of the country.
“We have come to ensure that we have not forgotten people with in our society, most especially the shoe shine boys, motorcyclists, car loaders and car washer, so we as young people have decided to lead the dream of Ambassador Weah, a dream of taking somebody from nowhere and making him someone, to bring dignity to what you are doing so that people can feel that shoe shine boys are not ordinary people.
In as much as you are doing these things , you should be respected, people must pay attention to you, not to just come to you for vote, we are not interested in who you vote for, but we are very concern about bringing changes to the sector you represent” he noted.
For his part, the CDC USA Youth Chairperson, Isaac Doe, said the initiative is their will of identifying with people of like minds, adding that Ambassador George Weah remains the best presidential hopeful and as such there is a need that every petty traders vote wisely to alleviate high rate of poverty in their lives.
“It is very important to see people coming in this gathering to help their fellow people only on the basis of identifying with people who you think are alike politically, morally and socially.
I have followed George Weah, and I believe that George Weah so far is the only person whose life can be compared to the life of the shoe shine boys, to the life of those who are loading cars, to the life of all of us.
We don’t have much but we felt coming back should not be in vain, but to make sure to associate with everyone,” he added.
Doe used the occasion to encourage all the young citizens to turn out and vote come October of 2017.
“We want to say your government is coming into place, this will be the first time you will have a government that represents your interest. This will be the first time you are going to have a government that likes you.
This will be the first time you will have a government that sees you as group of Liberians.
This is the government that will be coming in very soon headed by Ambassador George M. Weah, which will be the government of our people and all of us,” Dolo added.
Receiving the items, Washington Monjolo thanked the CDC Youth League for their contribution to petty traders, especially the shoe shine boys, adding that they will continue to work with the youth league to support the party.
“We are 95% CDCians. We thanked you very much for what he has done for us, we don’t have problem, and CDC is our party. Since 1995 up to present I am still a CDCians, so CDC is our heart and we are here to work with you,” he said.