In the heart of rural Liberia, where opportunities can be scarce, foundational life skills sessions for children and adolescents are sowing the seeds of empowerment, resilience, and personal development. Youth Crime Watch of Liberia hired and trained 10 adolescents as Peer Educators to roll out Foundational life Skills sessions both in schools and communities across Gbarnga. These sessions offer a lifeline to children and adolescents, equipping them with essential life skills that not only enhance their own lives but also contribute to the vitality and growth of their communities. This initiative represents a beacon of hope, fostering self-confidence, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to envision a brighter future.

The program brought about 100 young people from around communities in Montserrado County to parade, and advocate for climate change, and to further ensure that Liberia has a huge representation at the COP 15. During the event, Miss Georgette Sithole presented the position statement on behalf of the organization to representatives from the UN, and other National and Government line institutions attending. The position statement centered around humans’ unwillingness to recognize the effects of greenhouse gases and the challenges youth, politicians, business organizations, environmental groups, and the United Nations to make good decisions. COP 15 meeting is considered a gateway to the future, and anything less than an agreement would have greater consequences on the lives of young people, especially the poor ones. One of the most interesting activities at the program was the stamping of the Global Petition as per the United Nations campaign activities. After the petition, a lot of young people were supported to attend the COP Program and are still applying.

Youth Crime Watch of Liberia 2019 hosted an informative and interactive “Go-Green Campaign” within Montserrado County. This initiative was designed to inspire and galvanize a group of 100 young people into taking proactive measures to champion environmental sustainability and conservation. The program underscores the pivotal role that youth hold in shaping the intentions of their communities and the well-being of the planet. The Go-Green Campaign for the youth serves as a resounding call to action, empowering young individuals to assume the mantle of environmental stewardship and embrace sustainability as a guiding principle. Through their enthusiastic involvement, they are emerging as guardians of a future that promises a greener and healthier existence for their communities and the global ecosystem. Collectively, they are sowing the seeds of positive transformation that will reverberate through generations to come.

The project significantly impacts the economy by promoting sustainable employment opportunities and entrepreneurship, as well as improving the environment and public health. The project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting sustainable consumption and production and reducing waste. With glaring tangibles of increased social gaps post-war Liberia experiences, unemployment, and sanitation a real challenges Liberia as a country faces. High unemployment rates are still a matter of serious concern for development practitioners both internationally and nationally. In 2021-2022, Trading Economics Global Macro Models and Analysts predicted Liberia’s unemployment rate was expected to reach 4.10% by the closure of 2022 to early 2023. In the long-term, the Liberia Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 4.20 percent in 2023, according to our econometric models. Besides, the city of Monrovia has experienced a huge increase in waste generation over the years due to rapid urbanization, an increase in population, changes in consumption patterns, etc. (Country Situational Analysis, 2011). Approximately 33.3 percent of all Liberians live in Monrovia. (Country Situational Analysis, 2011). (UN data, 2017). The situation in the city is further worsened by a lack of adequate technological, technical financial, and human resources capacity (UNEP, 2006). TVET institutions have successfully gained aided entry into work programs and qualifying people for work. However, new, and innovative strategies to address unemployment still need to be explored, such as using waste management as an employment solution. This Project will help with the reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste using a municipal solid waste management approach that promotes employment projects and is expected to significantly impact the economy by promoting sustainable employment opportunities and entrepreneurship, as well as improving the environment and public health. The project will also contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting sustainable consumption and production and reducing waste. The Project targets 150 beneficiaries in and around Montserrado County, Liberia.