Monrovia – As part of efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic in Liberia, the Open Society Initiative of West Africa, (OSIWA) has donated US$50,000 as its contribution to the National Response Coordinator for the Executive Committee on COVID-19.
OSIWA’s Country Officer, Ms. Massa Crayton, presented the check to the National Response Coordinator for the Executive Committee on COVID-19, Madam Mary T. Broh.
Ms. Crayton expressed OSIWA’s commitment in working with the government to fight the pandemic, adding that her organization recognizes the efforts of the team headed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Making the donation Thursday, through the National Response officer headed, who is the Director General of the General Services Agency Madam Mary Broh, Madam Crayton said the money was OSIWA “small contribution” to the fight against COVID-19.
“We called it small because there have been other big contributions made ahead of us but this is not just a drop in the bucket it is significant for it is going to have a wider outreach,” she said.
“So, we are here today to present a check of US$50,000 to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for use by the National Task Force against COVID19.”
Madam Crayton said despite working on governance issues in west African countries, OSIWA also works on other issues as it arises including responding to public health crisis.
”OSIWA is aware of the youthful make-up of the Liberian population; therefore, we recognize the Ministry’s work with the national youth groups to augment the interventions of civil society organizations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is a step in the right direction,” she noted.
Madam Broh received the check from Ms. Crayton and turned it over to Hon. D. Zeogar Wilson, Minister of Youth and Sports.
Madam Crayton furthered said that to support Government’s efforts, OSIWA is committed to working with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to provide adequate awareness and sensitization on COVID-19 to enhance prevention and control mechanisms among the youth population across the country.
“OSIWA has implicit confidence in the Ministry to undertake the initiatives in line with OSIWA’s objectives for fighting Covid-19 especially through the National Youth Network on covid-19,” she noted.
In addition, Ms. Crayton hoped that some of the major measures to be enforced include close monitoring behavioral change and citizens’ responses before, during and after awareness in terms of social distancing, washing hands and community efforts to eradicate coronavirus and support civil society monitoring, documentation reporting, analyses and public policy propositions on the economic, political and social impacts of national COVID-19 responses on human rights and fundamental freedoms by ensuring that economic interventions reach the most vulnerable through engagement and empowerment of health workers existing structures & young people at community-based levels to foster resilience against COVID-19 and adherence to preventive measures.
Madame Crayton underscored that OSIWA is an ardent supporter of civil society monitoring, documentation reporting, analyses, and public policy propositions on the economic, political, and social impacts of national COVID-19 responses.
Speaking earlier, Madam Broh, the National Response Coordinator for the Executive Committee on Coronavirus (ECOC) in Liberia, welcomed the donation and said the support is on time while also asking the MYS to use the fund rightfully.
She, however, cautioned young people to follow the COVID-19 health protocol, adding: “To you the young people, you need to reach out in the Community and encourage your fellow youths to wear their mask, people are violating the health protocols and justifying it the virus is real and we must fight it.”