The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through its Livelihood and Employment Creation program has conducted a two-day Monitoring, Evaluation and Lessons Learned workshop for beneficiaries held in Ganta, Nimba County 27-28 June 2024. 

The workshop, attended by Deputy Ministers Scholastica Nyenkan-Nimley and Benedict Dolo of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) was a learning platform for the beneficiaries and the project implementation team to share experiences, lessons learned and progress on the implementation of the project. 

Speaking to over 30 beneficiaries who attended the workshop, Deputy Minister Dolo encouraged those in the same categories of businesses to work in clusters and have regular meetings to share their knowledge and learn from one another instead of working in silos or as rivals.  

He noted that working in clusters will help them to grow their businesses faster and better in their different locations and learning from each other will help them become better businesspeople. 

On her part, Deputy Minister Scholastica Nyenkan-Nimley Nyenkan-Nimley described the workshop as an opportunity for both she and Deputy Minister Dolo to engage face to face with the beneficiaries and hear directly from them. 

Also at the workshop, the President of the National Union of Organization of the Disabled (NUOD) Peter B. K. Flomo, stressed the need for the project to step up its engagement with people with disabilities to respond to their needs. 

Mr. Flomo mentioned that his participation at the workshop signified the project’s determination to bridge the gaps of inclusion. He is recommending that people living with disabilities be singled out and programs designed specifically to suit their needs instead of counting them amongst women and youth groups. 

“I commend UNDP for this program because it has singled out people with disabilities and has directly provided support to them. This way, it is easy to know their needs as opposed to when they are counted amongst groups such as youth or women,” Flomo said.  

UNDP is supporting the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) to implement the Livelihood and Employment Creation project focusing on vulnerable communities and less privileged people including women, youths, persons with disabilities and refugees. 

Since 2022, this program has reached/empowered over 90 persons with disabilities supporting them through different business interventions to upscale their projects/businesses and improve their livelihoods.  

During the exchange, beneficiaries recommended that the time allocated for training and capacity building for beneficiaries under the project be extended to allow them to fully grasp the concepts and training modules.  

Since its implementation in 2021, the project has achieved remarkable outcomes reaching people on the ground in the seven targeted counties-Grand Cape Mount, Montserrado, Bassa, Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, Nimba and Lofa. 

At this workshop, beneficiaries from all seven counties were represented.  

UNDP Programme Coordinator, Abraham Tumbey mentioned that the five-year project seeks to contribute to reduction of poverty and inequality by supporting initiatives that engage vulnerable people in sustainable income generation.