VOINJAMA CITY, LOFA COUNTY —The Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) with support from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) over the weekend launched Liberia’s Financial Education and Literacy Program in Voinjoima City, Lofa County.
The event held on Saturday July 12, 2025, brought together over 300 stakeholders including youths, women, Daily Savings (VSLA) Groups, civil society groups, transport unions, marketers, persons living with disabilities and community leaders amongst others as part of decentralization efforts of the ongoing CBL financial literacy campaign.
The initiative, funded by the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) and implemented by the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) in partnership with PERT Consultancy Inc., seeks to equip underserved Liberians with the knowledge and tools to manage money wisely and build financial resilience.
Launching the Financial Education and Literacy Program in Voinjama, Lofa County, the County Development Officer, Francis Lanssana hailed the Central Bank of Liberia and FeJAL for prioritizing the financial empowerment of ordinary Liberians.
Mr. Lassana welcomed the program’s long-term vision and emphasized that financial literacy is not about how much one earns, but how well one plans.
“There are people who earn a lot but have nothing to show for it, and others with little income who achieve great things; This program teaches us that even a few dollars, when managed wisely, can transform a family,”he added
The Lofa County Development Officer further called on the Central Bank to ensure that financial education is integrated into national school curricula, beginning from the elementary level.
According to him, early exposure to financial planning can help young people build responsible habits that last a lifetime.
Mr. Lassana additionally stressed the importance of discipline, time management, and character in building sustainable livelihoods, urging participants to take what they’ve learned into their districts and become change agents.
Also speaking, the representatives of the different groups in separate remarks expressed excitement about the initiative and promised to take the knowledge to their constituencies.
A representative of the Daily Saving (VSLA) group, madam Garmai Gbusiwollie of the Daily Saving (VSLA) added that they never had the chance to learn how to save or manage money properly but with this new program, the beneficiaries can now plan better and even teach others in our group to do the same.
While the Superintendent of the Liberia Maritime Authority in Lofa County, madam Finda Nyormui said the training was practical and it addressed directly the daily challenges faced by Liberians from saving profits to avoiding bad debts.
The president of the Lofa Motorcyclist Union, John Morlu thanked the CBL and FeJAL; emphasizing that the financial knowledge gained will improve the lives of young riders.
“Many of us make money every day but don’t know how to keep it but this program has opened our eyes, Morlu noted.
For his part, the head of the National Financial Education Working Group, Cllr. Alphonsus Zeon, emphasized that the program goes beyond lectures describing it as a “movement to promote dignity, responsibility, and independence through smart financial choices.
“We want people to set financial goals, stick to a savings plan, know their money personality, and understand their rights as consumers; that’s how we build strong communities,” he emphasized.
Cllr. Zeon also provided insight into the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), a regional solution that enables secure cross-border payments using local banks.
According to him, the system is part of ongoing efforts to modernize trade and protect local businesspeople from fraud or transaction delays.
The president of the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL), Lisa Diasay reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to inclusive community education.
Madam Diasay encouraged community mobilizers to be proactive in spreading financial awareness.
“This is about helping people take control of their financial futures—whether they sell in the market, ride a motorbike, or run a village savings group; it is not just about numbers,” she pointed out.
Meanwhile, 13 community mobilizers including representatives from local authorities, youth groups, Liberia Marketing Association, motorcyclists, persons with disabilities, VSLA groups, and Media were certificated during the launch following a two day training to serve as financial education mobilizers for Lofa county.
The two days Training of Trainers (TOT) empowered them to now roll out outreach activities across towns, markets, and rural communities, using participatory methods to teach basic financial concepts.
Looking Ahead:
The launch sets the stage for a county-wide outreach phase, during which trained mobilizers will hold financial education sessions in Lofa’s communities, marketplaces, and transport hubs will complement in-person outreach to ensure broad community engagement.
As the Financial Education and Literacy campaign continues across Liberia, stakeholders hope that the Lofa county rollout will not only empower individuals but also strengthen the local economy and reduce financial vulnerability.
The Financial Education and Literacy Program is a national initiative under Liberia’s Financial Inclusion Agenda, which forms part of the Financial Sector Development Implementation Plan (FSDIP) launched by the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) in 2016.
The program seeks to close Liberia’s financial literacy gap by empowering citizens with the knowledge and tools to make sound financial decisions, manage income, reduce dependency on informal systems, and improve access to formal financial services.
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