Vulnerable Rural Women Empowered

As its name depicts, the Rural Empowerment Foundation (REFOUND) appears to be well on course in providing sustainable economic empowerment alternatives for several dozens of vulnerable rural women in Bong County.

The organization, as part of its community empowerment project, recently turned over two brand new cassava processing plants to two agriculture cooperative organizations managed by war- affected women in Suacoco district, Bong County in order to boost their low income generating project.

Speaking at the formal turning over  ceremony of the  two cassava processing machines, REFOUND’s  Program Coordinator,  Martin Dumoe assured the women agriculture cooperative groups of his organization’s strong desire of engaging them in a more sustainable way to ensure that the  machine provided them high productivity which could enhance transformation in their individual lives as way of graduating from the threat of poverty and become economically  strengthened.

Dumoe indicated that beyond the provision of the two processing machines, the women would be provided basic skills in business management to enable them properly manage proceeds that will be generated from toll  realized, which could be turned into revolving fund for members  of the cooperative to have the opportunity of obtaining  micro loans  to jump- start  small businesses in their communities.

The REFOUND  boss  noted that his organization would explore other opportunities to continue its  support  to  women agriculture groups, especially vulnerable women in rural communities as a means of complementing the government-initiated poverty reduction strategy or the (PRS).

Also speaking at the occasion, the Agriculture Coordinator assigned in Bong County, Monica Honore challenged the women to take advantage of the opportunity provided by  REFOUND  in adding values to their living standard, other than always relying  on their male counterparts for  the up-keep of the family when they too have  the  potential to engage  in meaningful ventures.

The agriculture coordinator indicated that women have a record of always playing a pivotal role in the agriculture sector of Liberia, judging from the fact that seventy percent of the farming activities are normally conducted by women in farming communities across Liberia, as such when they are given the requisite support, the agriculture sector of country will take a relatively short period to revive itself.

Honore also called on the leadership of the two cooperatives to properly manage the two cassava processing facilities in a more transparent manner to the benefit of all to improve the food security situation in their communities and further promote agro-business an alternative for sustainable livelihood.

The cost of the two cassava processing plants is in the tone of little over twelve thousand United States Dollars (12,000.00USD). Funding for the project was made available by the International Church Development Organization (ICCO) which is a major donor for REFOUND based in the Netherlands.