Kpaai District, Bong County: The Government of Liberia and its partners have concluded a one-day joint field assessment visit to Doetainta, Kpaai District, Bong County.

The visit aimed to evaluate the impact of the Community Livelihood and Agriculture Support (CLAS) component of the Recovery of Economic Activity for Liberian Informal Sector Employment (REALISE) Project.

The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), with support from the World Bank and the Embassies of Sweden and France in Liberia.

Giving an overview, Mr. Jesse Bengu, head of the CLAS component, explained that the project seeks to empower 16,200 communal farmers across eight of Liberia’s fifteen counties with skills, tools, and grants for community-driven projects.

Mr. Benju noted that the second round of the project is targeting 28 beneficiaries organized into a farming group working on 35 acres of land, supervised by five elders to ensure effective implementation. Each of the 28 beneficiaries, he added, received USD 350 to boost their livelihoods.

In addition, the group collectively received USD 1,680 to purchase farming tools and materials to strengthen their communal farming activities, while the Doetainta community was also provided with USD 1,100 for community development, which was used to renovate the local community hall.

Speaking on behalf of the Government of Liberia, Youth and Sports Minister Cllr. Jerror Cole Bangalu appealed to development partners for continued support to sustain social protection programs as the REALISE Project approaches its completion in December 2026.

Cllr. Bangalu emphasized that the project has made a remarkable impact on the lives of Liberia’s most vulnerable citizens, stating that scaling it down would leave many communities at risk.

“As sector ministers of the project, we have requested the Honorable Minister of Finance and Development Planning to officially engage our development partners for a follow-up social protection initiative that will continue to benefit rural Liberians,” he stated.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Isabelle Le Guellec of the French Embassy and Sweden’s Ambassador to Liberia, Karl Backéus, both commended the positive impact of the project on beneficiaries.

Representing their respective countries, the ambassadors expressed pride in being part of such a transformative initiative and pledged continued support for impact-driven programs in Liberia.

For their part, several beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation for the project, describing it as an “eye-opener” that has restored hope and dignity in their communities.

They noted that the initiative has enabled them to actively engage in communal farming, improve food security, and enhance their livelihoods.

“Through this project, I was able to renovate my house, which had been in a dilapidated condition. I want to say thank you to the REALISE Project,” said beneficiary Albert B. Cooper.

Written By: Melvin Siakor/mpzsiakor1847@gmail.com