By Calvin Brooks
MONROVIA, July 11 (LINA) – The Country Director of the NGO, Plan International Liberia, has pledged to support Pillar One of the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
According to Director Evelyn Moorehead, Plan International is about to kick- off a new five-year country strategy which will have a specific focus on promotion and protection of the girl child’s rights.
Director Moorehead made the statement Wednesday at a program marking Plan International Liberia’s Brand Ambassador Staff, partner’s motivational session, held at a local hotel in Sinkor.
“We will continue to work with the government to support its PAPD Pillar One which is power to the people,” she added.
She asserted that Plan will also work along with youth activists, community leaders, international partners, media, civil society organizations and other key stakeholders to ensure that girls in Liberia grow up equally valued and cared for in resilient communities.
Director Moorehead indicated that focusing on girls and young people is intended to tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability.
She pointed out that globally, today’s generation of young people is the largest in history with half the world’s population under 30 years with most living in developing countries and in Liberia alone it is estimated that over 60 percent of the population is under the age of 24 with 43 percent of the population under the age of 14 years.
She narrated that it is against this backdrop that Plan International’s Ambassador Laurent Simmons was inspired to take on the courageous, daring, brave and inspirational journey to cycle across West Africa to promote the work of Plan International.
According to her, Ambassador Simmons is a former child sponsor and first commenced his world tour from Canada in 2012 and for the West Africa trip was in August 2018 kicked off the 100,000 kilometres to arrive in Liberia.
She mentioned that Plan International since its inception in Liberia has worked alongside government in the various counties like Lofa, Bomi, Nimba and Margibi to ensure that girls can access their basic rights without discrimination, including the right to quality education and health services.
Director Moorehead emphasized that Plan International has built over 100 schools across five counties, distributed over 4 million mosquito nets to all counties across Liberia with support from the Global Fund and the Liberian Ministry of Health.
LINA CB/PTK
