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ADNews-Gbarpolu County,Liberia:The women of Gbarma District in Gbarpolu County have praised the Liberian Government and the World Bank for the implementation of the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP), while calling for increased support to reach more women across the country.
On Friday, May 15, 2026, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, through the Liberia Women Empowerment Project, hosted a World Bank Mission Field Visit in Gbarma City, Gbarpolu County.
The visit aimed to provide the World Bank Mission Team with first-hand information on the progress, impact, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned from the project in the county.
During the visit, beneficiaries shared success stories about how the project has improved their lives and restored dignity in their homes and communities.
Speaking during the program, Madam Bendu Varney, head of the Tarwafea Women Empowerment Village Savings group with 24 members, thanked the World Bank and the Liberian Government for empowering women through financial support.
According to her, the funds received from the project have enabled many women to pay their children’s school fees, expand their businesses, and increase their contributions to their homes.
“We no longer fully depend on our husbands to keep our homes running,” Madam Varney emphasized. “Now we can contribute greatly to support our families and maintain our businesses without depending entirely on our husbands.”
Also speaking, Madam Martha Voir, a widow and head of the Songelee Village Savings group with 28 members, hailed the project for changing the long-standing perception that widows are helpless and poor.
“I want to tell the government thank you for what they are doing for us under the LWEP,” she said. “As a widow, the money has helped me in many ways and has given me strength to continue taking care of my family.”
Madam Voir, however, appealed to the government to help improve roads leading to their communities to ease transportation challenges faced by local market women and improve access to markets.
Meanwhile, individual entrepreneur and beneficiary Madam Gbaley J. Gondor encouraged women to properly utilize the support provided through the project.
She explained that the money she received under the project significantly transformed her business.
“This is the first big money I have received in my life,” Madam Gondor said. “Before, I used to sell rice by cup, onions in small quantities, and salt tied in plastic bags, but now I can sell goods by bags and cartons.”
For her part, Madam Marian Rogers, Gender Specialist for Plan International Liberia, the lead service provider of the project, praised the women of Gbarma for their commitment to the initiative.
“I have come to say thank you because we are seeing the results of the support provided,” she stated.
Madam Rogers noted that the agricultural products displayed during the visit represent an important step toward poverty reduction and food security in the county.
She encouraged the beneficiaries to continue working hard and serve as ambassadors of hope to inspire similar opportunities in the future.
Following the indoor program, members of the visiting team toured several project sites to validate beneficiaries’ investments, interact with participants, and gather additional feedback.
The field visit brought together the World Bank Mission Team, the Project Management Unit, Plan International Liberia as lead service provider, and partner organizations including Catholic Relief Services, ActionAid Liberia, Medica Liberia, and KEEP Liberia, along with county authorities, community leaders, beneficiaries, community-based agents, grievance committee members, VSLA groups, faith-based organizations, influencers, and local government representatives.
The total project budget of US$44.6 million is intended for livelihood grants, implementation, monitoring, and capacity-building activities targeting 498 communities and approximately 36,000 individuals across Liberia.
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