Story
10 July 2026
Building Businesses, Building Peace: How Women in Liberia Are Transforming Their Communities
For many women in Liberia's Grand Cape Mount, Nimba, Lofa, and Grand Gedeh counties, earning a stable income has long been a daily struggle. Small-scale farming, cassava processing, and petty trading provide livelihoods for many households, but limited access to business knowledge, productive resources, financing, and formal markets has prevented women from expanding their enterprises and realizing their full economic potential. These challenges have not only affected household incomes but have also limited women's participation in community leadership and peacebuilding efforts.To address these barriers, Sister Aid Liberia (SALI), with support from the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) through UN Women, implemented the project Enhancing Socio-Economic Recovery and Participation in Peacebuilding Initiatives for Women and Girls in Liberia. The initiative aimed to strengthen women's economic resilience while creating greater opportunities for them to participate as leaders and agents of peace within their communities.One of the women whose life has been transformed through the project is Jenneh Kiazou, head of the Women and Youth for Sustainable Agricultural Development (WYSAD) group in Grand Cape Mount County.Before participating in the project, Jenneh and the members of WYSAD worked hard cultivating cassava and engaging in small business activities, yet they struggled to generate meaningful profits. Like many women's groups across the four counties, they had little knowledge of business planning, pricing strategies, or financial management. Products were often sold without calculating production costs or profit margins, making it difficult to grow their businesses or improve their families' livelihoods.The situation was similar for women from the Sucromu Gari Production and Wolekama groups in Lofa County and other participating groups in Nimba and Grand Gedeh. Despite their determination and strong work ethic, limited capital, inadequate equipment, and a lack of technical business skills restricted their opportunities for sustainable economic growth.Recognizing these challenges, the project delivered practical, hands-on training designed to equip women with the tools they needed to strengthen their enterprises. Participants received training in business plan development, product pricing, basic financial management, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), and income-generating strategies. Following the training, women's groups also received in-kind grants to help strengthen their businesses and improve productivity.The project's transparent and inclusive approach, which involved county authorities and community leaders throughout the distribution process, further strengthened beneficiaries' confidence and reinforced community ownership of the initiative.For Jenneh, the training fundamentally changed the way her group approaches business."Before SALI came and trained us, we did not know how to plan our business or properly price our products. We simply sold what we produced without understanding how to make a profit. The training opened our eyes and showed us how to run our activities as real businesswomen."Today, the women of WYSAD are applying their new knowledge to manage their business more strategically. They are keeping financial records, making collective business decisions, planning for future investments, and working together to expand their cassava production and processing activities. The in-kind support they received is expected to significantly increase their processing capacity, creating new opportunities for income generation while contributing to local food production and employment.Beyond the economic gains, the project has strengthened solidarity among women. Members report greater unity, improved collaboration, and increased confidence to engage with community leaders and participate in household and community decision-making. Women who once worked individually are now planning and investing together, creating stronger and more resilient community networks.Looking toward the future, Jenneh is optimistic about what lies ahead."Looking at our Cassava farm and the plans we have for processing and harvesting, we believe this machine will help our group become economically stable, and jobs will be available to support the community within the next few years."Jenneh's journey reflects the broader impact of the WPHF project across Liberia. By combining business skills training with access to productive resources, the initiative has enabled women to build stronger livelihoods while strengthening their voices as community leaders and peacebuilders. As women gain economic independence, they are better positioned to support their families, contribute to local development, and promote peaceful, inclusive communities.The members of WYSAD are now focused on expanding cassava production, strengthening their savings and loan activities, creating additional income-generating opportunities, and mentoring other women to apply the skills they have gained. Their commitment to sound financial management, collaboration, and community engagement demonstrates how investing in women's economic empowerment creates lasting benefits that extend far beyond individual businesses.Through the partnership between SALI, UN Women, and the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, women like Jenneh are not only transforming their livelihoods—they are helping build stronger more resilient communities where women are recognized as entrepreneurs, leaders, and agents of lasting peace and sustainable development.