The United Bong County Association in the America’s (UBCAA) has ended its national convention in Providence, Rhode Island, the United States of America.
Speaking during the just-ended convention, UBCAA National President, Caimon Joe Kollie, thanked participants for gracing the occasion and giving their support to the United Bong County Association in the Americas.
In July of each year, the members of UBCAA convene a national convention aimed at reviewing its past and present workings and finding a way forward. The UBCAA boss noted that his leadership, in the period of one year, has made significant achievements.
According to him, those achievements have made UBCAA to now be considered partner in community development in Bong County. Kollie informed the participants at the event that his leadership has achieved most of its critical benchmarks set in just one year. He said for the first time in more than 30 years of existence they have set up a fully operational UBCAA office in Gbarnga, Bong County. He noted that the organization has started a community farming project in Bong County aimed at training the people of the county in farming skills, the importance of growing their own food, engaging in community farming, among others.
Kollie told participants at the convention that these initiatives were designed to help contribute to food security in the county.
Providing more update on UBCAA performance for the period of one year, the UBCAA President said the organization has also planted rice and vegetables in Bong County. He informed the gathering that they have opened a UBCAA Community Learning Center (CLC) in Gbarnga, Bong County. He added the Community Learning Center is meant to provide space and resource for innovative learning and allow students gain experience using computers, complete homework, research and learn other critical life-long skills.
In addition, Kollie explained that the UBCAA Liberia Program Computer Literacy Program is currently training 84 students from various schools in Bong County. He mentioned that the current leadership of UBCAA has built an interactive professional website, unitedbong.org, that provides information on the workings of UBCAA.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report from the recent UBCAA convention suggests that the organization raised more than US$16,000 in cash and pledges. Releasing the report, UBCAA’s National President, Caimon Kollie, hailed the joint leadership of the United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA) for a very successful convention. “We also extend our profound congratulations to the 2022 UBCAA honorees, award recipients and the entire general assembly of UBCAA for supporting the occasion in person and in-kind. We remain hopeful for a stronger working relationship to develop our community,” Kollie said.
According to President Kollie, the UBCAA financial team’s preliminary report is $16,000 cash on hand (received at the event hall), with outstanding receivables from local chapter ticket sales, assumed to be worth US$5,000. “Please be assured that a comprehensive convention report will be published soon,” Kollie emphasized.
For his part, the keynote speaker at the just-ended convention, Dr. Samuel Jacobs-Abbey, praised the leadership of UBCAA for organizing the conference. Dr. Abbey applauded the UBCAA leadership, headed by Caimon Joe Kollie, for major developments undertaken in Bong County. He said UBCAA must be there to help address those major issues confronting the people they represent.
“Prosperity does not simply refer to financial wellbeing. There is more to it than that. Imparting the right values, knowledge, attitude and belief is all part of contributing to prosperity of the generations after you,” he told officials of UBCAA.
His speech contained lots of points aimed at suggesting solutions to issues affecting Bong County and Liberia at large.
The just-ended national convention of the UBCAA was held under the theme, “Reimagining UBCAA Past, Present and Future”. The national convention took place from July 21—23, 2022 in the State of Rhode Island, United States of America. Hundreds of Bong County citizens both in the Diaspora and from Liberia, including partners of the UBCAA, were in attendance to grace the convention.