IPNEWS: The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA), supported by UNDP, completed a three-day business development training in Kakata, Margibi County, focused on strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods among coastal entrepreneurs, especially empowering women and youth.
The training, held under the Agency’s Enhancing Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities to Climate Change in Liberia (ERVCCS) project, brought together small business owners, emerging entrepreneurs, youth leaders, and community representatives from Kakata and surrounding areas.
The ERVCCS is part of a broader project, “Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities, a transformative initiative managed by UNDP’s Energy and Environment Programme and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), targeting several coastal communities in Liberia.
Participants engaged in practical sessions on business planning, financial literacy, market linkages, and climate-smart techniques tailored to coastal economies.
Dr. Freddie Kobba, international consultant for the Sinoe Coastal Project managed by UNDP, called the training timely and essential, highlighting ongoing challenges like limited access to finance, weak business management skills, and poor market connectivity—issues further worsened by climate threats such as sea-level rise, erosion, and frequent storm surges.
Over the three days, participants received hands-on coaching in key areas, including:
- Developing simple, locally adaptable business plans
- Financial literacy, savings strategies, and access to microfinance and grants
- Marketing, record-keeping, and basic accounting for small enterprises
- Integrating climate-smart approaches and diversifying income sources
The workshop featured Liberia-specific case studies and group exercises to help entrepreneurs apply these concepts to sectors such as fisheries, small trading, food processing, eco-tourism, and other coastal livelihood activities.
By the end of the training, participants had revised their business plans and outlined concrete steps toward accessing financing and market partnerships.
Dr. Kobba emphasized the critical role of women and youth in building community resilience, noting that empowering women entrepreneurs and engaging young people in sustainable enterprises generates broader economic benefits and reduces social vulnerability.
The EPA‘s ERVCCS Project Manager, Princess Doyah, reaffirmed her agency’s commitment to ongoing capacity-building and community engagement in coastal areas.
Madam Doyah explained that the training is part of a broader program to expand technical support, strengthen market connections, and improve access to finance for coastal families.
“As we scale these trainings, our goal is to combine skills development with financial opportunities so families can earn a dependable income while protecting the environment that sustains them,” she said.
The Sinoe Coastal Project Manager also highlighted the intersection of climate threats and limited economic opportunities in coastal communities, stressing that initiatives that build business skills and promote climate-smart livelihoods are vital for reducing vulnerability and fostering sustainable local economies.
Representing the beneficiaries, Miss Fatu S. Cooper, a businesswoman from Mardina Community in Kakata, praised the EPA for offering the training free of charge. She described it as “a golden opportunity,” noting that similar courses often come at high costs in universities and vocational institutions.
Cooper, on behalf of the participants, pledged to make meaningful use of the skills gained during the workshop.
