Training Farmers & Artisans for Better Livelihoods

The At-Risk Youth Open Source Community Centre is a community-based initiative being developed in Cestos City, River Cess County, to support vulnerable children, adolescents, and young adults through education, skills development, and positive community engagement. During this reporting period, activities focused on community engagement, needs identification, and project planning, guided by national and local development data for Liberia.

Liberia continues to face significant development challenges. Nationally, more than 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, and rural counties experience even higher levels of deprivation. River Cess County is among the counties with the highest multidimensional poverty rates, reflecting limited access to education, employment, health services, and infrastructure.

Children and youth are particularly affected. Approximately one in six primary-school-age children in Liberia is out of school, and many more struggle with low literacy and numeracy outcomes. Among youth, formal employment opportunities are scarce, with most young people engaged in informal or subsistence activities with limited income security. These conditions directly affect learning outcomes, life skills development, and long-term livelihood prospects.

Progress to Date Community Engagement

Initial engagement was conducted with youth, parents, community elders, and local stakeholders in Cestos City. These discussions confirmed strong community interest in a youth-focused centre that addresses both educational gaps among children and skills development needs among older youth.

Needs Identification

Consultations with community members identified key priority areas:

• Reading and basic math skills for out-of-school children

• Reading comprehension skills to strengthen learning outcomes for children and adolescents

• An accelerator-style program for older youth, focused on practical, employable skills

• Skills linked to local livelihoods and sustainable development, particularly agriculture and crafts

These needs reflect broader national challenges related to poverty, low educational attainment, and limited access to vocational training.

Program Planning and Focus Areas

Based on community input and development priorities, the project team outlined core focus areas for the Community Centre:

• Foundational education: literacy, reading comprehension, and numeracy for out-of-school children

• Farming and agriculture, including soil knowledge, composting, fertilizer making, and sustainable food production

• Cooking and food skills, including value-added food production from local agricultural products

• Vocational training, such as brick laying and brick manufacturing

• Craft and production skills, including ceramic plate, pots and local stove making

• Bamboo décor and furniture making to make earn income from production sold

• Bioconstruction techniques, using locally available and sustainable materials

These areas align with Liberia’s development context, where agriculture remains the main livelihood for most households and skills-based work offers practical income opportunities.

Community Response

Community members emphasized the importance of addressing learning gaps among children affected by poverty and creating skills pathways for youth who have limited access to formal education or employment. Youth expressed interest in agriculture-based skills, vocational trades, and practical production skills that can be applied within their community.

Conclusion

During this reporting period, the project concentrated on community engagement, needs identification, and defining education and skills priorities for the At-Risk Youth Open Source Community Centre in Cestos City. These activities ensure the initiative is grounded in Liberia’s poverty and development realities and responds directly to the needs of children and youth in River Cess County.