(Zwedru, June 25, 2025): The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) kicked off the nationwide Financial Education and Literacy Program on Monday, June 23, 2025, in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, beginning the county-level campaign to teach people how to manage their money well and guarantee individual financial stability.
Ahead of the launch at the Zwedru City Hall, a county team drawn from stakeholder groups underwent a 2-day intensive training of trainers. The team will remain in the county to engage citizens and residents of villages, towns and districts, capacitating people on issues of setting financial goals, budgeting, saving, investing and responsible borrowing.
At the Grand Gedeh launch, Superintendent Alex Chersia Grant pledged to champion the objectives of the initiative through local county programs.
He said his office will personally follow-up on the progress of the local trainers to ensure that knowledge acquired during the workshop is adequately disseminated throughout the three districts of the county.
Superintendent Grant lauded the CBL for driving the FinEd program, which he noted will go a long way in instilling financial discipline and stability in the way families, businesses and individuals manage their finances.
The CBL is leading the Government of Liberia financial education program in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Gender Children and Social Protection, Youth and Sports amongst others.
Grand Gedeh County Education Officer, Mr. Botha Kromah, promised that his office will collaborate with the local trainers to ensure that students of the county benefit from the FinEd program, which he noted is essential in the development of young people. “If the culture of budgeting and saving is introduced at an early start, it will lessen the difficulties most of our people are confronted with in the management of our meagre financial resources,” he noted.
The Chairman of the Government of Liberia working group on Financial Education, Cllr. P. Alphonus Zeon, lauded the people of Grand Gedeh for the impressive show of support demonstrated through their turnout, and urged them to take advantage of the opportunity the initiative offers. “Financial Education will teach you how to manage your finances properly and reduce the stress in a way that when something happens unexpectedly you will be able to handle it, because you have set financial goals; and this can only be done through the program that we are launching today known as Financial Education.’
“If you are able to budget, plan, and take care of your resources, the pressure on the government is reduced in providing a viable and stable financial atmosphere in Liberia,” said Cllr Zeon.
The county launch of the FinEd program is an essential step toward the implementation of the CBL goal of achieving financial inclusion, an important component of the Bank 2025-2029 Strategic Plan.
The CBL is collaborating with the Female Association of Liberian Journalists (FeJAL), PERT Consultancy Incorporated, and the office of the Culture Ambassador of Liberia to roll out this nationwide FinEd program.
Speaking on behalf of the respective groups, Madam Lisa T. Diasy and Mr. Kerkula Kamara promised to use their expertise to provide training and mobilize all local groups for the successful implementation of the program.
“We have already begun the training and mobilization of our people and will not stop until the message is spread throughout the country; Ambassador Kamara stressed.
15 trainers who participated in a two-day workshop in Zwedru, were awarded certificates. Seven of them who are locally based will conduct the FinEd program in their local areas, in collaboration with FeJAL, the office of the Culture Ambassador and the CBL.
The occasion, which drew a large turnout at the Zwedru City Hall, was attended by a cross section of residents including students, the business community; civil society groups; the Liberia Marketing Association, the local branches of the Village Saving Loan Association; the Liberia Rural Women; the Liberia Motorcycle Union; the Transport Union; People Living With Disability; the Grand Gedeh Youth Group; Commissioners as well as traditional and religious leaders.
In March this year, the CBL launched a national Financial Education and Literacy Program to address the widespread lack of financial awareness among Liberians.
A January 2025 survey revealed that 77% of Liberians had never received formal financial education, with many expressing the need to learn about budgeting, saving, and investing. The program combines community workshops, radio outreach, and direct engagement with groups like market women, youth, and motorcyclists to build financial knowledge.
The initiative supports Liberia’s broader national development pillar, revitalizing the economy, a priority under the ARREST Agenda for development.
