Monrovia – The World Bank Liberia Country office has joined the rest of the World Bank Group across the world to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the International Day to Eradicate Poverty.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
Speaking at programs marking the official celebration of the event in Liberia on Tuesady, October 17, the officer-in-Charge of the World Bank Liberia country Office, Sekou Kamara, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to fighting poverty in Liberia.
He noted that the Bank, through several implementing partners including private and governmental entities, is supporting the government to improve the lives of its citizens.
Also speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), Gabriel Fernandez, thanked the World Bank for its support to the Girls Ebola Recovery Livelihood Support (GERLS) project.
Mr. Fernandez noted that GERLS project, sponsored by the World Bank, is being implemented in Montserrado, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties by the MGCSP.
The program is providing income support to adolescent girls and young women who have lost their livelihoods as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) crisis in Liberia.
He explained that the project is benefiting 2,000 adolescent girls, who are interested in improving their businesses and out this number 1,000 girls and young women are alumni of the Empowerment Project for Adolescent Girls (EPAG), while the other 1,000 will be EVD-affected girls and young women.
“The GERLS project is providing life and business skills training as well as cash grants to support the re-generation or expansion of businesses of targeted adolescent girls and young women,” he stated.
Meanwhile, several beneficiaries, explaining their experiences during the Ebola crisis, thanked the World Bank, MGCSP and EDUCARE-a local implementing partner for the project. They called on the Bank to continue supporting the project so that heir friends, who are yet to benefit, can also benefit.
“This project has helped us to regain our strength because it was not easy during the Ebola period.”
“Some of us lost our loved ones, our homes and our minds; but we also say thanks to the World Bank and the Gender Ministry for helping us regain our strength, and for making us to enter into business. We pray that one day we will be successful entrepreneurs to own businesses in Liberia; a grateful Florence D. Kollie, age 25 intoned.
Evelyn Tomah of the Progresive Girls Business Center in ‘Smell No Taste’ in Margibi County added: “I want to be so thankful to Almighty God for giving the idea to Educare, Ministry of Gender and World Bank to bring this project because most of us were affected badly from Ebola.”
“My mother died; but from the counseling and comfort from Educare, I was able to regain my strength.”
“We are selling cosmetics. Our prayer is for you to continue this program because it is helping us a lot.”
“We didn’t know how to save but because of the training, we are now saving our income. Some of our friends were not lucky to hear about this so we are appealing to you to continue so our friends can come in,” she pleaded.
Etta J. Busaree of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County narrated that she suffered discrimination after the EVD when she was residing in the hard hit enclave of West Point; and as the result she relocated to Buchanan where she was recruited on the GERLS project.
“Nobody wanted to buy my market and associate with me.”
“So, I moved to Buchanan where I learned about this project. I am happy for this program because it is helping us a lot. So we want for it to continue in Liberia,” she stated.
Marking the 25th anniversary of the International Day to Eradicate Poverty, the institution sounded the alarm on a lack of progress since the 1960s in an area that is crucial for reducing poverty and inequality and promoting growth.
The Bank noted that the social status of one’s parents is as influential today as it was 50 years ago in determining a person’s future, in early findings from an upcoming World Bank report, “Fair Progress? Educational Mobility Around the World.”
The preview paper, released Tuesday, October 17, helps put together the first pieces of the economic mobility puzzle, focusing squarely on how one generation’s education can make or break the next generation’s success.
The paper highlights the important role of public policy in providing a level playing field, so that every child, regardless of parental background, can reach his or her full potential.
The full report to be released in early 2018, according to the World bank, will broaden the scope and examine the drivers of income mobility, including the role of markets and the broader forces of economic transformation.
“We are living in the middle of a human capital crisis and need to do everything we can to create a world where children everywhere have the opportunity to become whatever they want,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.
“The potential of hundreds of millions of people is being wasted, as their chances remain too closely tied to the previous generation.”
“We have to invest in young children so they are hardwired to succeed, encourage and meet the aspirations of young people, and act at all levels – especially locally – to ensure that tomorrow’s generation can thrive regardless of where they are born.”