Monrovia, Liberia – Following a comprehensive needs assessment, Women Care Initiative (WOCI) obtained and sent farming tools and seedings to three villages early in March of 2024, therefore enabling low land farming. WOCI announcement dated September 20, 2024 states that the communities are Johnson Farm, Beh-Sao, and Damah correspondingly.
The release said, because of WOCI engagement, the women farming groups are now actively participating in peanut and corn farming while also producing earnings from soap production as vital sources of income to sustain their Village Saving and micro loan program.
Men also participate in the agricultural component of these groups; the overall membership of women is about 60 persons with approximately 95% constituted of women and girls. With peanut and maize seedings set for harvest, the women organization based in Johnson, Bomi County now boasts over 3.5 acres of land.
“Today marks a great moment for us to show case some of the vegetables we produced this year and how the soap and VSLA activities WOCI and ForumCiv have supported are now making some great changes in the lives of women while helping to hold us together as a group,” the Co- Chairperson of the women farming group, Madam Jumama C. Varmah said speaking to a team of WOCI and ForumCiv management staff over the weekend in Johnson Farm.
Madam Mary Mc-Karnle, the Chairperson of VSLA group, emphasizes for her part the significance of the social entrepreneurship program run by WOCI and supported by ForumCiv.
“We are glad to share success stories and to present samples of the crops we are generating from us! Madam Mc-Karnle said! Our land farming operations; proceeds from the sale of our soap and the farm are currently supporting our VSLA program in feeding.
She pointed out that while single mothers are now empowered to help their children in school, earnings from such activities are being used as rotational funds to support micro loans and household development.
Suggesting the project’s need for growth, the women head observed “We are asking ForumCiv and WOCI to kindly increase the level of support to enable us have our own women center where we can gather to discuss women’s issues.”
Speaking as Johnson Farm’s Senior Elder, Boakai Johnson appreciated how the project is advancing social equity, peace, and social cohesiveness.
Elder Johnson expressed excitement and pointed out that the project intervention had gotten men and women actively engaged in economic activities so helping to lower gender-based violence conditions and other social barriers in his community.
Since the project started in the village, he said, the number of gender-based cases has dropped among men and women; he added, as members of the elders council, they are also helping women in agricultural pursuits”.
Speaking on Wednesday, Asa Chon, the Country Manager of ForumCiv Liberia, expressed great joy and excitement with the degree of development being achieved by the women groups. She advised them to use all the possibilities that would enable realize their self-potential and economic independence.
She vowed to cooperate with WOCI in maintaining the gains made in advancing women’s quest of gender justice and equality in Bomi County and commended the management of WOCI headed by Madam Jennet O. Paye for the degree of programmatic intervention.
Madam Jenent O. Paye, the Executive Director of WOCI, thanked ForumCiv for the confidence and degree of support; she promised to do more in the best interest of women in Liberia.
Funded by ForumCiv Liberia, WOCI is a woman-led CSO based in Tubmanburg that supports and implements intervention aiming at women’s land rights using ADR techniques to advance peace and social justice for women, young people, and persons with disabilities in customary communities in Bomi County for the period of forty months.
WOCI plays a more strategic role as Regional Co-convener and Steering Committee member of the Multi-Actor Platform on Land Governance and Responsible Investment in Western Liberia while also being a member of the thematic working group on women and youths, so helping to coordinate land governance activities at the subnational level.
The evaluation proceeded with a site visit to the peanut field then a quick picture shot with WOCI and ForumCiv Liberia staff members and women group members.
Reported by: Prince Saah
Contact: +231778239813
Email: saahprince119@gmail.com
