As LWEP Midterm Review Impact Reaches Gbarpolu
Gbarpolu County – In Yangaryah Town, Gbarma District, Gbarpolu County, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, women farmers working with the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP) were excited about a World Bank loan that would increase their agricultural operations.
The excitement comes as the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MGCSP) started the LWEP’s Midterm Review (MTR) with financial assistance from the World Bank.
The loan, according to the farmers, who largely depend on small-scale farming to provide for their families, offers a transformative opportunity that will allow them to grow their farms, boost output, and enhance their standard of living.
In order to assess the success and difficulties faced by local farmers, officials from the Liberia Women Empowerment Project, working with World Bank staff, visited multiple fields and spoke with beneficiaries during a field visit to Gbarpolu County.
Madam Marie Zion, the owner of Marie Business Center, praised the World Bank for providing her with half of the actual funds (US$2,500) that she had asked for at a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Gender and the World Bank.
“I’ve been able to reopen my shop and even help my kids go back to school thanks to that money,” she said.
Hawa Gballay Varney, the Chairlady of Nunwin-Behgoon, one of the farming organizations, also praised the World Bank and the Liberian government for giving women’s development via agriculture top priority.
According to her, the loan will boost women’s involvement in the local economy in addition to enhancing food production.
“Many of us are getting this kind of support for the first time. We appreciate the World Bank and LWEP’s faith in rural women farmers,” she remarked with excitement. “Our group consists of twenty-seven people: eight men and nineteen women.”
Fatu Kabah, the leader of the farm-based nonprofit “We will do it multipurpose,” praised the World Bank for providing the group with financial assistance, saying it will be put to its intended use.
LWEP officials stressed, however, that the program’s objective is to economically empower women, especially those in rural areas, by giving them access to capital, training, and market opportunities. They stated that the project’s main goals are to promote gender equality, assist women-led agribusinesses, and use sustainable farming methods to combat poverty.
Speaking, World Bank representatives conveyed their satisfaction with the project’s impact, pointing out that rural development and national food security have been significantly improved by the empowerment of women in agriculture.
The group promised to keep supporting Liberia’s initiatives to promote gender equality and develop the country’s agriculture industry.
The Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP), which aims to empower thousands of women engaged in small business, farming, and other revenue-generating endeavors, is being carried out in six counties around Liberia.
These include: River Cess, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, and Montserrado.
In line with the government of Liberia’s overarching goal of inclusive development, the Liberia Women Empowerment Project seeks to improve gender equality, women’s voices, and their livelihoods throughout the country. Yangaryah Town was alive with music, smiles, and dances as the tour came to a conclusion, reflecting the revived optimism of women farmers who now view agriculture as a feasible means of achieving a brighter future.
Reported by: Prince Saah
