Nimba County – ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) as part of its long-standing dedication to corporate social responsibility and community development through its Community Relations Department, provided smiles, educational support, and festive celebrations to over 6,500 children in 20 host and railway corridor communities during Liberia’s 179th Independence Day celebrations.
The yearly program demonstrates AML’s conviction that significant community collaborations go beyond jobs and infrastructure. The company strengthens relationships with local families while promoting social inclusion, safety awareness, and education through investments in children’s wellbeing.
This year’s celebration focused on children under the age of ten in communities across Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties. Thousands of children received gift packages containing school supplies, snacks, and footwear, ensuring they could celebrate Liberia’s Independence Day while also receiving materials that support their education.
The outreach in Nimba County included communities along the railway route including Wheyeepa and Nyokopa, as well as mining communities like Gbapa, Makinto, and Liagbala. Similar festivities were held in Bong and Grand Bassa counties along the railway, demonstrating AML’s dedication to making sure that the advantages of growth are distributed along its operational corridor.
Over 412 kids from Sugarcane Farm in Buchanan and Big Fanti Town in Grand Bassa County took part in the festivities. Children participated in interactive safety quizzes in addition to receiving gift packages; several of them won special rewards for correctly answering questions about responsible community behavior and road safety.
Additional events were planned for Tinway Town, Dirt Hole, and Fair Ground, as well as Bassa Community, Juah Town, Korduah, Moore Town, and Joe Quarter. Numerous events included games, dancing contests, and other leisure pursuits aimed at giving kids and their families unforgettable experiences.
Harrison Waydon, AML Community Relations Superintendent for Nimba County, spoke at one of the festivities and stated that the program exemplifies the company’s all-encompassing commitment to community development.
“ArcelorMittal Liberia implements numerous programs that directly benefit adults through employment, skills development, educational opportunities, healthcare support, and community projects. However, children represent the future of our communities. They deserve to experience joy, encouragement, and opportunities that inspire them to dream. This annual celebration is one way of showing that AML values every member of our host communities, regardless of age.”
According to Waydon, the Community Relations Department’s year-round interactions with local leaders, youth organizations, women’s organizations, schools, and community-based institutions to foster communication, address issues, and determine development objectives are improved by the Independence Day program.
Wroquah Samuels-Kamara, the Community Relations Superintendent for Bong and Grand Bassa Counties, echoed same thoughts, stating that the department is still dedicated to keeping solid ties with the households residing along the railway route.
“Building trust with our host communities requires consistent engagement. Celebrating national occasions with children not only strengthens relationships between AML and community members but also reinforces important values such as safety, unity, and mutual respect. Our Community Relations team works every day to ensure that our communities remain active partners in AML’s journey.”
The incorporation of AML’s Golden Safety Rules, especially those pertaining to traffic safety, was a major aspect of the celebration. Children learned useful safety practices through games and interactive conversations, such as adhering to traffic laws, understanding the need to keep cars and pedestrians apart, being aware of the risks associated with blind spots around large vehicles, always using seat belts, making sure they have adequate visibility before driving, and checking the parking brakes before getting out of a car.
AML hopes to foster a strong culture of safety in host communities from a young age by presenting these skills in an enjoyable and stimulating setting. Leaders in the community applauded the project as yet another illustration of AML’s consistent commitment to local development.
Okara Gono, the chief of Liagbala Town, praised the company for continuing to interact closely with locals and putting in place initiatives that improve livelihoods. He emphasized AML’s Biodiversity Project, which promotes vegetable production, and the company’s provision of a transport tricycle, which makes it easier for local farmers to get products to Yekepa markets.
Chief Gono also expressed gratitude for AML’s decision to involve host communities in the nation’s Independence Day celebrations, characterizing the move as an indication of the company’s ongoing regard for its community partners. He reiterated Liagbala’s dedication to cooperating with AML through communication in order to address common issues and promote sustainable development.
Building long-lasting relationships between AML and its host communities has been made possible in large part by the company’s Community Relations Department. The department continues to promote mutual trust and shared progress through ongoing consultation, community development projects, educational support, livelihood programs, infrastructure improvements, and social outreach events like the annual Independence Day celebration.
The celebrations again showed that community development is measured not only by physical infrastructure or economic investment but also by creating opportunities that encourage families, inspire young people, and strengthen the social fabric of Liberia’s host communities, as thousands of children returned home with both happy memories and educational supplies.
