Liberia: UN Women VSLA Project Empowers Hundreds of Women

What the report says

Nearly 1,500 women in Liberia have begun receiving grant support through a UN Women-backed project focused on village savings and farming groups, according to Liberian Observer’s report republished by AllAfrica. The women are organized into 49 groups across eight counties: Montserrado, Bong, Lofa, Margibi, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount and Grand Gedeh.

The project is being run by UN Women Liberia with the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia and CareFound Liberia, and is funded through the IBSA Fund, which is supported by India, Brazil and South Africa. At the launch event in Monrovia on Friday, lawmakers and partners described the grants as a move from training to direct capital for grassroots women who had already formed groups, adopted constitutions and learned savings, lending and financial-management skills.

UN Women said the initiative has reached 49 of its 50 planned village savings and loan associations and agricultural cooperatives. The project also includes training for community facilitators expected to share skills with rural women and young women, with lessons covering literacy, business management, digital literacy, leadership, gender equality and peacebuilding.

The report said supporters view the effort as a way to strengthen women’s economic participation and leadership in their communities. Indian officials involved in the program said the partnership was intended to support livelihoods, while Liberian women’s leaders argued that more funding would be useful if the early results prove successful.