Mercy Corps in partnership with the Sweden Embassy Launches promoting Sustainable Partnerships For Economic Transformation (PROSPECTS-IV) program in Liberia under the theme: Using Market System Development to Facilitate youth Employment in Liberia. The program was held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at the Bella Casa Hotel in Sinkor-Monrovia with the aim to use Market System Development for Employment (MSD4E) approach with the goal to increase income, job quality, and job security for urban youths.
The PROSPECTS project, which is focused on youth employment and was founded by the Swedish Embassy in Liberia, is currently operating in four urban and peri-urban areas, including Montserrado, Nimba, Grand Bassa, and Bong County, with the potential to expand after the pilot phase. The country director for Mercy Corps Miji Park said this during the project’s launch. She argues that if the appropriate private sector partners can be identified, they will be receptive to cooperating with many additional secondary cities in Liberia.
Johan Romare, chief of the Swedish Embassy’s Department for Development Cooperation, also spoke, outlining Mercy Corps’ stated plan to employ young Liberians in order to combat the country’s poverty problems. As a result, the program will create new jobs that young people will be able to work in the agriculture sector and create meaningful jobs that will create incomes for them and allow them to support their families, according to what he said are some of the problems in Liberia related to agriculture and youth opportunities for job creation.
“The future of Liberia lies with its young population, which makes up 70% of the country. The Liberia they see is the Liberia they will have to build. Only the Liberians alone have the power to bring about change. I think this Mercy Corps initiative gives young people a chance to build the Liberia they want.”
Isaac Doe, Deputy Minister for youth development at the ministry of youth and sports, said the PROSPECTS Program offers young people the chance to improve their financial situation so they can grow their enterprises. He continued that the ministry of youth and sports has collaborated with Mercy Corps on a small number of projects, and they had always used the highest standards to guarantee that the actual goals were reached.
“I personally have no doubt that Mercy Corps will use the greatest strategy available to make sure that those who benefit are those who most need it at this time.”
Reported by: Jenneh T. Borbor
Contact: +231 77 529 9760
Email: jennehtborbor9@gmail.com
