UN Human Security Trust Fund Project impacts communities in North Central Liberia

The United Nations in Liberia is jointly implementing the United Nations Human Security Trust Fund Project “Building Resilience of Youth, Women and Vulnerable Groups using Social Protection Floor with ITC”. The project is being implemented by FAO, ILO, UNDP, UN Women and WFP, with support from the International Telecommunications Union(ITU), in three counties in Liberia-Bong, Lofa and Nimba.

In this light, a three-day Human Security Workshop on Digital technology with emphasis on establishment of Smart Villages, kicked off yesterday in Gbarnga, Bong County with participants in high spirit.

The workshop, which takes place from July 11-July 13, is expected to bring together 40 participants from local authorities, facilitators and beneficiaries from the communities. The workshop hopes to deepen the understanding of Smart Villages and digital technology and explore its role in the broader development context, particularly in agriculture, health, finance and market.

“At the beginning of this project, we did not even know what the SDGs were but thanks to this project, we now know about the 17 sustainable development goals and how they impact our lives.”, Ms Quinisier, Commissioner of Forquelleh, Bong County.

Another beneficiary expressed her appreciation for the impact of the project, “Thanks for giving our people the chance and means to cross the bridge of poverty and into prosperity”. She noted that in her community, forty-two women, youth and persons with disabilities, can now manage financially because of the support through training and start-up capital provided by the initiative through the Start and improve your Business (SIYB) initiative.

The UN Resident Coordinator, Christine Umutoni, in her remarks during interaction with beneficiaries, encouraged them to strive for entrepreneurship. She noted that “no one can make Liberia better, besides Liberians themselves”.  She noted that entrepreneurial capacity of 264 vulnerable young women and men on how to start and improve their business have been built using the SIYB tools, 264 medium-size businesses have been established for inclusive economic and human development in six of the nine selected project communities and an awareness sessions conducted on the concept and importance of human security and how to mainstream the concept in county and national development agenda.

She also acknowledged the  efforts of the government of Liberia and the UN agencies for the progress of the project that covered the wider consultations with national and international stakeholders (Government, Private Sector, CSOs and ITU) on the SMART Village Concept,  the conduct of a digital assessment in all three project communities with the objective of identify digital gaps and the infrastructure requirements for the implementation of the Smart Village Initiative, field assessment at the district and community level to identify and assess the existing conditions of beneficiaries and  community engagement workshop on SDGs-related issues and how to digitally address them for inclusivity has been conducted.

She also stated “the SMART Village concept is where the digital technology will be used to promote community-driven e-agriculture (particularly weather and extension services) including food system planning, implementation, and management - education and skills development, livelihood strategies such as income generation, cooperative administration, and health service including health insurance for women, youths, and the vulnerable population. Given the importance of access to markets and finance services in rural communities, these will be given priority in the digital endeavor to be co-created by you all working with private and public sector digital technology actors. “

The project will complement UNWOMEN Digital Platform – “Buy from Women” that connects smallholder farmers to information, finance, and markets – that is currently being developed.