Liberia’s government has launched a major expansion of its pioneering cash transfer initiative, aiming to provide crucial income support to thousands of vulnerable households across the country.
This latest intervention is at the heart of the government’s efforts to alleviate the daily consumption challenges faced by low-income families, and is expected to be rolled out to additional regions as more funding becomes available.
The current unconditional cash transfer program is the third of its kind under the Liberian government, building on previous successful initiatives since the Ebola crisis in 2014. Those earlier efforts were supported by a coalition of partners including UNICEF, the Japanese government, and the World Bank.
Leveraging lessons from the past, the government has now partnered with the World Bank to launch the “REALISE” project (Recovery of Economic Activity for Liberia Informal Sector Employment), which will deliver income support to 16,000 vulnerable households through its cash transfer component.
Speaking at the program’s launch in Grand Bassa County, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gbeme Horace-Kollie, acknowledged that the transfers alone cannot eradicate the hardships faced by the people, but stressed that they “undeniably help address critical needs of daily consumption.”
The minister urged beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly, emphasizing that the program’s focus on sound financial management empowers families to strengthen themselves over time.
Maximin Wion, representing the French Development Agency (AFD) which is also funding the REALISE project, reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to the partnership and the 8.8 million euro grant provided to facilitate livelihood improvements, particularly in Liberia’s rural areas.
World Bank senior specialist Mack C. Mulbah, who is leading the REALISE project, encouraged beneficiaries to use the cash transfers to support their children’s education and overall wellbeing, underscoring the program’s aim to serve as a catalyst for lifting families out of poverty.
The expanded cash transfer initiative is set to reach 16,000 households in the counties of Grand Kru, River Gee, Rivercess and Grand Bassa, marking a significant step in the government’s efforts to strengthen social protection and improve the lives of Liberia’s most vulnerable citizens.
