Fmr. President of Grand Kru Teachers Association Questions Impact of CDF on Women in Grand Kru

By: Emmanuel Koffa |Grand Kru Correspondent

Barclayville City, Grand Kru County| January 13, 2025 | Former President of the Grand Kru Teachers’ Association, Madam Mamie Baryor Scott, has raised serious concerns over the impact of the County Development Fund (CDF) on women in Grand Kru County, questioning whether the annual allocation is delivering tangible benefits to the most vulnerable groups.

Speaking recently, Madam Scott said that despite Grand Kru County receiving US$186,000 annually from the County Development Fund, women across the county continue to face hardship, unemployment, and limited access to empowerment opportunities.

“Year after year, the County Development Fund comes to Grand Kru, but our women are still suffering. You don’t see projects that are changing their lives in a meaningful way,” Madam Scott said.

She argued that the lack of visible impact raises questions about project selection, implementation, and accountability in the use of the fund.

“If this money is meant for development, then women should be able to point to projects that are benefiting them directly. Right now, many women cannot,” she added.

Madam Scott noted that although women are recognized as key beneficiaries of the County Development Fund, they remain largely excluded from decisions on how the money is spent.

“Women are not properly consulted when decisions are made. When you leave women out of planning, you end up with projects that don’t address their real needs,” she stated.

The former Teachers’ Association President also reflected on past leadership in the county, including women who held senior positions, and said more could have been done to ensure women-focused development outcomes.

“Having women in leadership is important, but leadership must translate into action. Our women needed empowerment programs, but those were not prioritized,” she said.

She is now calling for greater transparency in County Development Fund management, including public disclosure of projects and deliberate investment in women-centered initiatives such as job creation, skills training, and child rehabilitation centers.

“We need accountability. Let the people see how the County Development Fund is being spent, and let women benefit in a real way,” Madam Scott stressed.

Madam Scott concluded by urging women across Grand Kru County to organize, speak out, and demand inclusion and accountability in County Development Fund decision-making.

“If women remain silent, nothing will change. We must raise our voices and demand development that reflects our needs,” she concluded.