By: Stephen G.Fellajuah
Email fellajuahstepheng@gmail.com
IMPACT Institute has concluded a two-day capacity-building and entrepreneurs’ workshop for over 300 participants including young women and girls, young men and youth. Participants came from parts of Montserrado and Margibi counties.
Thus held November 7 and 8, 2022, in the United Methodist Church in the suburbs of Duahzon, Margibi County. The training also provides insight into growing a small business. Mr. Bropleh also lauded those participants who came out to acquire the new skills and urged them to put into practice the knowledge learned to better their lives and help make the Liberian economy vibrate.
According to the executive director Mr. Rudolph Bropleh, the training was geared at enhancing capacity of young men and youth especially understanding the building of small business, to improve and enrich skills of small business holders through a well-defined understanding of establishing small business.
Bropleh during the program stressed that without a good private sector the economy of the country will suffer. Small business is important and as such it should be the given the space and opportunity to grow, adding that small business need to be a priority, saying without small business the country struggles.
“The government should drive the economy by empowering small businesses through loan and grants. small business is the bedrock of a strong economy – provide jobs, provide goods and services, meet needs within the community. A strong economy supports a vibrant society”, he told the gathering.
Anybody who wants you vote them in political office ask them for their job plan. How do they intend to create jobs in your district, he added.
Facilitator Mr. Yayah Jallah who is a Liberian entrepreneur, narrated his experience that he used to help his brother who sells down Water side Monrovia, who helped him to get the full understanding of how to do business.
Giving a look of what a small business should be and at same time providing synopsis techniques on how to engage to grow their businesses and remain relevant in today’s business world. He named discipline, trust, humility, human relationship, and location as considerable factors to achieve the goal of doing business and becoming successful in Liberia.
“Do not just do business to support your family. Have a big dream. The lack of trust is hampering Liberian businesses when people are unable to pay their loans. Another thing is the discipline, knowing what to do and what not to do. The human relationship you build with your customers have impact on your business. The way you interact with them encourage them to recommend more customers to you, he emphasized further.
He urged the participants to treat all customers with the same respect, saying before you open a business look at the environment and know your customers.
On Monday November 7, 2022, The Impact Institute, an indigenous Liberian group embarked on capacity building and entrepreneurs training for over 300 participants, to include young women and girls, young men and youth, aimed at building their capacity and community through economic empowerment and leadership development.
“Building Confidence & Self-esteem for Success in Business & in Life”, during day -one over 150 females were trained in capacity building and entrepreneurship while day-two followed the training of over 150 males.
Day one of the event focused on young women and girls while day two under the topic How to Build a Small Business and Better Your Life.
November 8, 2022, gathering was primarily for young men and Liberian contractors who do small to medium size contracts. According to the Impact Institute executive director, the training demonstrated on how to build a small business and improves lives.
The training offers a unique experience for grassroots women, and it has been developed to enhance the capacity of potential women and girls to build their confidence and skills to encourage and develop themselves.
Remarking further at the program, Impact Institute executive director Mr. Rudolph Bropleh, said the institution was established to build capacity within organizations and strengthen communities—including the church—so they are empowered and able to lead.
“A principal target of our work will be children, women, and young people. The church, a strategic community organization, will also be a place of focus for the Institute’s work”, he he said during the program.
According to Mr. Bropleh two things are usually evident in underprivileged and underserved communities: Inadequacy of economic opportunities and the lack of social mobility; or the marginalized means of the same. Two things can strengthen and improve underprivileged and underserved communities: Economic empowerment and leadership development.
Besides, he added the training is an opportunity designed for young ladies and women to equip them with tools for success. He noted that the institution serves to give Liberians and hand up and not a handout. Thus, the over goal of the program is to help others help themselves by building their confidence as well as help the build small businesses.
Mr. Bropleh who also served vas facilitator said “The whole concept is to help people help themselves. We organized this event to inspire and empower. We need to raise a generation of workers not beggers”. He added that participants are from Monrovia and its environ and assure the gathering that very soon it will extend to the 15 counties so that people can be empowered.
The participants who spoke in separate remarks, expressed their gratitude, and thanked Impact Institute fo the essential eye-opening training provided to them to help them fulfill their life goals. The participants while sharing their experience of their life stories and the necessity of the program in reaching their goals, said the training was timely and impactful and promised to use the knowledge acquired to improve and better their lives.
