MONROVIA – The United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA) has ended its national convention in Providence of Rhode Island, the United States of America with the leadership boasting of significant achievements during the period of one year.
The convention was held under the theme: “Reimagining UBCAA Past, Present and Future”. The national convention took place on July 21-23, 2022 in the State of Rhode Island in the United States of America.
Hundreds of Bong County citizens both in the diaspora and from Liberia including partners of the UBCAA were in attendance to grace the convention.
It may be recalled that in July of each year, the UBCAA convenes a national convention aimed at reviewing its past and present workings. The convention is also about finding a way forward by members of the organization.
Speaking during the just ended convention, UBCAA National President, Caimon Joe Kollie while thanking participants for gracing the occasion and giving their support to the United Bong County Association in the Americas noted the significant achievements his leadership has made in the period of one year.
Mr. Kollie explained that with those achievements UBCAA has made, the association is now considered a partner of community development in Bong County. Kollie informed the participants that most of the achievements by his leadership are critical benchmarks set by UBCAA in just one year. He explained that for the first time in more than 30 years of its existence as an organization, the UBCAA set up a fully operational office in Gbarnga, Bong County.
UBCAA boss further noted that the organization has started a community farm project in Bong County. The project is aimed at training the people of the county to give them farming skills, conscientize them of the importance of growing their own food, and engaging in community farming, among others, saying that the initiatives innumerate were designed to help contribute to food security in Liberia.
Providing more updates on association performance for the period of one year, UBCAA President said the organization has also planted rice and vegetables in Bong County. He informed the gathering that they have opened a UBCAA Community Learning Center (CLC) in Bong County, and added that the CLC is meant to provide space and resources for innovative learning and to allow students gain experience in using computers, complete homework, and research as well as to learn other critical lifelong skills.
In addition, Mr. Kollie explained that the UBCAA – Liberia Program Computer Literacy Program is currently training 84 students from various schools in Bong County. He mentioned that the current leadership of UBCAA has built an interactive professional website, unitedbong.org, which provides information on the workings of UBCAA. The UBCAA boss spoke on a wild range of issues confronting the wellbeing of the association.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report from the recent UBCAA Convention suggests that the organization raised more than US$16,000 in cash and pledges. Releasing the report, UBCAA National President Kollie further thanked the joint leadership of the United Bong County Association in the Americas for a very successful convention.
“We also extend our profound congratulations to the 2022 UBCAA honorees and awards recipients, and the entire General Assembly of UBCAA for supporting the occasion in person and in-kind. We remain hopeful for a stronger working relationship to develop our community,” he averred.
Mr. Kollie said UBCAA financial team’s preliminary report netted $16,000.00 cash on hand (received at the event hall), with outstanding receivables from local chapter ticket sales assumed to be worth US$5,000. “Please be assured that a comprehensive convention report will be published soon”. Mr. Kollie emphasized.
For his part, the keynote Speaker at the convention, Dr. Samuel Jacobs- Abbey, praised the leadership of UBCAA for organizing the conference. Dr. Abbey applauded the UBCAA leadership headed by Caimon Joe Kollie for major development projects undertaken in Bong County. He said UBCAA must be there to help address those major issues confronting the people they represent.
“Prosperity does not refer simply to financial wellbeing. There is more to it than that. Imparting the right values, knowledge, attitude and belief is all part of contributing to the prosperity of the generations after you,” he told officials of UBCAA.
His speech contained lots of discussions proffering more solutions to issues affecting Bong County and Liberia at large.