MONROVIA – Be the Change Academy, a capacity building program for illiterate business women feared closure due to the lack of finance to fund its programs.
The Academy launched since 2007, under the auspices of Youth Crime Watch, aims at addressing the capacity gap in the business sector. It has provided entrepreneur skills to hundreds of illiterate women in Montserrado and Bong Counties.
The 15-week program, sponsored by the Norwegian government, focuses on market research, management and customer service amongst others.
The program has benefited several women including vulnerable, single mothers and widows among others mostly from slum communities in order to strengthen their skills in entrepreneurship.
But it was a sad and happy moment at the graduation of the 11th program recently when the Executive Director of Youth Crime Watch, Zuo Taylor, announced that the program was shutting down due to the lack of funding.
Mr. Zuo said the key financier of the project which is the Norwegian government was cutting off its support due to issues relating to financial challenges.
According to him, it is difficult to run the program in the absence of finance despite its positive impact on the lives of over 3,300 ‘illiterate women,’ who have become more successful business owners in their respective communities.
The Youth Crime Watch Executive Director emphasized that the program has many success stories but it will be unfortunate if it does not continue.
“We want to do more, we have reached out but it’s very difficult to get funding opportunities these days which might push us to shut this unique program,” he added.
He stressed, “Some of our beneficiaries don’t want to hear neither believe what is about to happen but it’s a hard fact we must accept and live with till otherwise.”
He pointed that the cost attached to sponsoring a single student is US$40 and each circle enrolls 300 women over the years.
However, he challenged the new graduates to use the knowledge wisely if they are become more successful and productive in their respective businesses.
Taylor urged them to use the skills learned to add flavor and make a difference in the already criticized business sector of Liberia.
Serving as keynote speaker, the Swedish Ambassador accredited near Monrovia, Ingrid Wetterqvist congratulated the graduates for the bold steps taken to empower themselves.
Ambassador Wetterqvist expressed joy over the manner in which these women have decided to create their own destiny for a sustainable future.
She noted that the women are determined and have lots of energy in order to become successful and sustainable.
The Swedish Ambassador hopes that the skills acquired will help them to navigate through the challenges women go through on a daily basis.
Madam Wetterqvist asserted that the stronger the women are in the business sector the better it will be for the Liberian Economy.
According to her, as part of the Swedish government’s policies, it will continue to empower and promote women in various programs in an effort to propel them to take future challenges.
She wants the women to support each other in solidarity and effect the changes they desire.
Also speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Kebeh Kortimai noted that customer service in Liberia is a serious problem which the program helped her to address.
Madam Kebeh, who sells hand bags in Red Light Market, said people get angry when customers touch their goods and don’t buy. According to her getting angry is a bad customer service.
She wants marketers to exercise patient, engage and attract people to their businesses and let go off behaviors that will drive away potential customers.
The Liberian entrepreneur thanked Youth Crime Watch for the “Be the Change Academy” program which she asserted has given her a better understanding of business management and customer service.