Liberia new: Bong County Rallies to Financial Education and PAPSS at County-Level Campaign Launch

BONG-The launching has taken place in Gbarnga, Bong County of the Central Bank of Liberia nationwide financial education campaign and the promotion of the Pan African Payment and Settlement System, PAPSS, the seamless cross-border transactions amongst African Countries.

Climaxed at the Administrative Building in Gbarnga on August 6, the three-day activities included a training of trainers’ workshop and a vibrant county launch. In attendance were county officials, students, women, youth leaders, businesspeople, and religious figures from the county at a launch characterized by cultural performances, interactive lectures, and insightful remarks aimed at breaking down complex financial concepts into practical and relatable lessons for an audience of over 400 people.

 Thirteen (13) participants successfully completed the intensive Fin-Ed training and received certificates to mark the start of their mission: to take financial education to every corner of their communities. Their work will form the backbone of a grassroots campaign aimed at empowering people to make smarter money decisions – budgeting, saving, and investing, among others, good financial choices.

Maraline Tokpa Jawo, Human Resource Manager in the office of the Bong County Superintendent, who launched the campaign, described the initiative as a “blessing” for local communities.

“Gbarnga is not Bong County,” she reminded the newly trained Fin-Ed trainers. “Our people in the districts deserve the same information. I want to charge those who have been trained to seize every opportunity so all of us can be informed and able to save. Education is power – let’s use it.”

CBL Communications Director and chair of the Financial Education Working Group, Cllr. P. Alphonsus Zeon, stressed that financial inclusion is a collective effort.

“These are your own children who have been trained to equip you with financial education,” he told residents of Bong County. “We want you to cooperate with them as they roll out Financial Education in your communities.”

One of the trainees pledged to begin the financial education sessions in her church, and others promised to take the message to farms, schools, and marketplaces. “We will make sure the message reaches everywhere, including where we go to worship. The church will be where I will start teaching people how to manage their income,” said Joseph Kollie.

Liberia`s Arts and Cultural Ambassador, Kerkura Kamara pledged his office`s continued support to the county financial education efforts by mobilizing grassroots support for the campaign. The Ambassador organized and supported soccer matches, mobilized local communities in the county and revamped the Bong County culture troupe that did a splendid performance at the launch.

 Matthew D. Kollie, the head of the Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA) pledged to integrate FinEd lessons into its member activities. Lydia Zeze, the chair of the Bong County rural women, called the program “a great opportunity for women to learn how to manage money for the benefit of their families,” while the Bong County Gender Coordinator’s office encouraged CBL to focus even more on women in rural communities.

Abraham O. Kollie, coordinator of the Bong County Motorcyclist Union, hailed the FinEd program as “a light” for his membership and will help them learn how to save and plan. Youth representative Andrew Tartor urged FinEd trainers to prioritize schools when classes resume.

In addition to promoting savings, budgeting, and responsible financial habits, the CBL used the launch to spotlight the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), a revolutionary platform that allows businesses and individuals to send and receive payments across African countries instantly and securely, in local currencies. For rural entrepreneurs, this means easier access to regional markets without the high costs and delays of traditional money transfers and searching for foreign currencies.

A Nationwide Effort