By: Jallah Crawu I Gbarpolu County Contributing Reporter
Yangaryah Town, Gbarpolu County–October 23, 2025–In Gbarpolu County, some beneficiaries of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP) have shared inspiring stories of how the project has transformed their lives.
They expressed their testimonies in Yangayah Town in Gbarma District on October 22, 2025, as part of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), Mid-Term Review (MTR) with funding support from the World Bank, as part of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP).
The project, funded by the World Bank through a $44.6 million grant, aims to empower women and girls through improved access to education, health, livelihood opportunities, and inclusive participation in decision-making processes.
Fatu Kaba, Chair of the “We Will Do It Multipurpose Agricultural Cooperative”, expressed gratitude to the Liberian government and the World Bank for supporting their agricultural endeavors.
”We started this project on September 9, 2021. We used to collect money and rice from members of the organization to do our farm work,” she said that that is what we were doing before the Liberian Government and the World Bank came and gave us money.
Also speaking during the review meeting in Yangayah on October 22, 2025, Maima Siryon, CEO of Maima Siryon Business Center, said, “I was selling, the people came, and they see [saw] me selling; they took my name and carried it.”
Sje said despite initial skepticism, she received $1,250 out of the $2,500 she requested, which she used to continue her business and supporting her seven children in school.
”Three of my children are attending university through the business,” she said, “I appreciate the government and ask for more support.”
For her part, Hawa Varney, head of the “Unwinbehgoon Agriculture Group”, thanked the Liberian government and the World Bank for supporting their group.
They received $4,000 out of the $8,000 they requested, which she shared that helped them expand their agricultural activities from four to 15 plots.
Meanwhile, the beneficiaries’ testimonies were met with appreciation from the World Bank representative, Mr. Ashutosh Raina, who said, “This project is a Government of Liberia project. The World Bank is just supporting it through the Ministry of Gender and Partners. We are very happy with how this project is helping you and how you have shared your story.”
When asked by the World Bank representative regarding what they liked about the project, Mema Sirleaf said, “The money that we are getting,” she said, “they say that we shall not use this money for selling alcohol. We shall not use the money for sawing plank business, not for burning coal business, not for Coco or coffee business.,” she shared that apart from the money, she said that they have also provided training that is helping to keep us together in doing our business.
The Liberia Women Empowerment Project is being implemented in six counties in Liberia. The counties include Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Grand Gedeh, and River Cess.
The project aims to benefit over 267,000 people, with 36,000 individuals benefiting directly from livelihood grants.
The LWEP mid-term review stakeholders included the Gender Ministry’s Project Implementation Unit, the World Bank Team, Plan International Liberia, and implementing partners.
