USAID/OTI Liberia Success Story
November 2006
Mano River Union Youth on the Road to Employment
USAID/OTI's BRDG-Liberia program was initiated in September 2006 to support the political transition prompted by the free and fair election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected female head of state in Africa.
The Building Recovery and Reform through Democratic Governance (BRDG) program assists the Government of Liberia and other key actors to further the following political objectives:
- Improving capacity in such areas as planning, budgeting, communication, and coordination with relevant counterparts
- Mounting effective responses to high-visibility issues
- Strengthening the Mano River Union by supporting cooperative regional activities
The USAID Mission in Liberia, USAID's Africa Bureau, and the Office of Democracy and Governance are key players in the coordination of the BRDG program.
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| Some of the 3,000 Liberian youth who attended the National Youth Day celebrations in Ganta, Liberia. |
The youth of Liberia are not only looking for a change in direction from their leaders-they are working side by side to make that change happen.
During the past 15 years, social disruption, political instability, and economic turmoil have left the youth of Liberia uneducated, dispirited, and unemployed. Worse yet, Liberia has suffered as the talents of its youth have not been developed and enlisted to rebuild the country.
As part of its BRDG-Liberia program, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), in partnership with the Government of Liberia, supported a three-day event to restore hope, build bridges, and promote an ongoing commitment to strengthen the skills of Liberia's youth. The gathering and celebration, which took place in Ganta from October 26 to 28 and concluded on Liberia's National Youth Day, brought together more than 3,000 young people from schools and cities across the country.
Speeches by the Minister of Labor and the reigning Miss Liberia challenged the young men and women to become part of the process to strengthen the nation. In addition, a number of debates provided opportunities to exchange ideas on the new National Youth Policy bill that is before the Liberian Government.
In a break from the more serious aspects of the weekend, participants were entertained by some of Liberia's top musical performers and comedians. The participants also had opportunities to play volleyball and soccer.
One beaming female participant smiled and shouted, "I wish these three days were everlasting." And a young man danced about and sang, "My singing and dancing show you the revival I feel today, will feel tomorrow, and hopefully the rest of my days."
Other sponsors included the Young Men's Christian Association, the Federation of Liberian Youth, the United Nations Mission in Liberia, and the International Rescue Committee.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington: John Gattorn, Program Manager, 202-712-4168, jgattorn@usaid.gov
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