By Lewis S. Teh
The human resource officer at Diaconia MDI Liberia Mr. Erasmus J. Clarke has pledged the company’s commitment to its operation outside Montserrado County to empower many struggling Liberians.
Diaconia Microfinance Deposit-taking Institution Inc. or (DMDI) is a limited liability company established in Liberia in December 2012. It is an initiative of Alliance Microfinance (AS), Norway and was set up to promote job creation through the provision of microfinance services.
DMDI targets people living both in urban and rural Liberia, seeking to contribute to solving the lack of financial services for the poor and the needy.
Speaking after the company was certificated as the Most Outstanding Microfinance Company of the year by the coalition of civil society organizations Thursday, December 16, 2021, Mr. Clarke said Diaconia Microfinance will continue its work by putting smiles on the faces of Liberians.
He thanks the coalition of civil society organizations for the accolade, noting that throughout the Ebola, and COVID-19 outbreak the company didn’t cut down staff due to the enormous hardship Liberians are going through.
“Our institution is a Norwegian investment and about 99 percent of our staffers are Liberians, and it is the first in Africa, and as a Liberian, it’s incumbent upon us to manage the company”, he says.
He notes that the way “we as Liberians” will manage this company will take it to Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, and “to recognize our efforts is a boost for us, we will not be content with this award.”
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According to him, when COVID-19 subsides there are plans by the company to extend branches to other counties to bring more Liberians onboard.
Earlier, a member of the coalition of civil society organization Evan B. Tuku says the award to Diaconia MDI Liberia is part of the organization’s annual activities in analyzing the working of institutions both in the public and the private sectors.
He says the coalition of civil society organizations is a conglomeration of eight civil society actors and groups that are united to monitor the working and activities of institutions and individuals in the country.
“At times we criticize and proffer recommendations, and the event was as the result of their annual retreat held in Margibi County where it was agreed upon to vet scores of companies from the private sector”.
For his part, the chairman of the Legislative Watch Forum, Mark Chea says following the retreat in Margibi, a committee was set up to view the performance of the selected institutions.
He narrates that despite the hard economic situation that has engulfed the country, there are institutions here still making strides in the lives of people, and it’s against this backdrop that they thought to recognize those for the great work they continue to do. Editing by Jonathan Browne
