Liberia remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with over 50% of the population living below the poverty line and rural poverty exceeding 70%. Nearly 70% of Liberians depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, yet most smallholder farmers rely on subsistence production with low productivity and limited market access. Youth unemployment and underemployment remain widespread, especially among those with limited formal education and vocational skills.
In Liberia, over half the population lives in poverty, and rural poverty exceeds 70%. Most rural families depend on small-scale farming or informal work that generates very little and unstable income. Limited access to vocational training, tools, markets, and education prevents farmers and artisans from improving productivity or starting sustainable businesses. As a result, communities remain trapped in cycles of poverty with few economic opportunities.
The project will reduce rural poverty and unemployment by providing practical, hands-on skills training and shared equipment for farmers, women, and youth with limited education. Participants will learn income-generating skills, including compost production, value-added food processing, craft making, and small-scale infrastructure repair. The center will provide basic tools and processing equipment, enabling trainees to immediately apply their skills to improve their community and earn income.
Over time, this project will build a skilled rural workforce capable of generating stable and diversified incomes beyond subsistence farming. By equipping farmers and artisans with practical skills, tools, and market access, communities will reduce poverty, unemployment, and dependence on harmful activities such as unsustainable charcoal production. Increased value addition and local production will strengthen rural economies and keep more income within communities.
