By: Anthony Q. Jiffan, Jr.
The First Lady of Liberia, Madam Clar M. Weah, has made good the promise she made to the Army Wives Association in February, 2020 by dedicating and turning over a Vocational School worth over One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand United States Dollars (125, 000) and stating that the new Liberia the people seek in this dispensation is a country where promises must be kept in order to fulfill the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the people to remain alive.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony held at the Edward Binyah Kesselly Barracks, Schefflin Town, along the Robertsfield Highway, on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, attended by President George Manneh Weah and an array of top government officials, Mrs. Weah expressed joy in the fulfillment of her promise, stressing that the empowerment of women is a key component of national development.
“Today, I have returned to fulfill my promise. And, in the fulfillment of this promise, we desire to move our Army Wives from the valley of despair to a buoyancy of new hope. Hope that will remind them that they are an integral part of who we are as Liberians and that their support to their spouses, our Men in Arms is much appreciated.
“Today’s visit is a promise fulfilled, little over two years ago I visited the EBK Barracks, responding to a request from the Army Wives Association, However, as excited as I was, of the enthusiasm and the will of the Army Wives to acquire needed skills through their vocational training center, I was also saddened because of the challenges they faced with the inadequacy of the space and the lack of needed tools to effectively conduct the requisite training.
“Women are the roots of a nation, and when they are empowered, they can spread their roots which help them live independent lives,” she said.
According to Madam Weah, in the fulfillment of her promise, she affirm that the Army Wives deserve to acquire needed skills and education in order to become empowered and live fulfilled lives not just as wives of Men in Arms, but as Liberian women who continuously serve as roots that strengthen the tree of the nation, bearing fruits of transformation.
She said the Vocational Training Center is in line with President George Weah plans to transform Liberia through developmental initiatives, noting that the institution will help build the capacity of the Army Wives to help impact society.
She indicated that in the fulfillment of the promise, she seeks the overall advancement of women and girls, building their capacities, their confidence and hope, helping them to lead independent lives and meaningfully contribute to national development.
Mrs. Alfreda Nmah an Administrator of the Army Wives Association Training Program while speaking at the event lauded the first lady for the gesture, indicating that it is a great impact not only to the Army Wives, but also their husbands.
In her remarks, the President of the Army Wives, Josephine Kowo, said the completion of the vocational school was a dream come true for the soldier’s wives, adding that the school will help in making them independent by the skills they will acquire.
Speaking for the Ministry of National Defense, the Deputy Minister for Administration, Tibli Olandrus Dickson, lauded the First Lady for the gesture, adding that “The wives of the soldiers play a pivotal role in the lives of the soldiers who are usually on a mission.”
Deputy Minister Dickson said the construction of the Vocational School will further enhance the capacity of the soldiers’ wives, and urged them to make use of the facilities for their personal growth and development. The support the soldiers get from their wives makes them mission-ready, adding that “The soldiers’ wives are not beggars, but are entrepreneurs”.
This facility, valued at over One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand United States Dollars, comprises the main training building with classrooms, an office building, a meeting hall, and a reservoir for safe running water to the facility. In addition, the First Lady has provided a refrigerator, freezer, 15kva generator, a commercial oven for baking, office furnitures, and several chairs among many other essentials for the facility to further enhance the practical aspects of the training program for our Army Wives.