Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC) for Women Empowerment Development, Leadership, International Peace and Security has awarded disadvantaged youth groups in six slums communities with packages that make lives better for them.
The program was held during the weekend at the West Point Town Hall, under the project, “Slum Peacepreneurs Hubs—Sustainable Organized Crime and Youth Gang Violence in Liberia’s Slum Communities”, with support from Global Initiative and Resilience Fund.
Ninety disadvantaged youth (15 from each selected slum community, including West point, Caldwell, New Georgia, Bentol City, Clara Town and Old road, who were selected from the midst of more than 250 disadvantaged youths from across 12 slum communities in rural and urban Montserrado County), were selected for the program, with each of the six selected communities awarded US$5,000 in seed funding for entrepreneurship.
West Point community is involved in the business of garbage collection and waste management; Caldwell community, garbage collection and fumigation; New Georgia community, supplying safe-drinking water; Bentol City, soap production; Clara Town community, public latrine; and Old Road, salon and barbering.
Speaking during the distribution of the US$5,000 garbage collection equipment, Establishment Coordinator, Cllr. Ivette Chesson-Wureh, said the initiative is intended to lift youth out of poverty.
According to her, there are more opportunities for youth, especially underprivileged or disadvantaged youth in various communities, and admonished them to go out and make the difference. “It is our commitment to lobby more for good things,” she said.
For his part, Isaac Roberts, Chief Investigator in the office of the Commissioner of West Point, said the program will bring improvement to the people and is therefore good for the state.